I totally agree abut the current state of propagation, which has gone from dead to deader....most premies I know go aong with it to some degree, but are basically embarrassed by their involvement....I think that they know it's hopeless (talking about the US, but I think it's the same everywhere, with the possible exception of India, where people consider these programs to be the equivalent of rock concerts or football games, and atttend, but have little involvement otherwise...).....I think they also know that everyone does an internet search today to check anything out, and once EPO comes up, there's lots of explaining to do....

I think the basic disconnect between premies and prem rawat today is that, once you scratch the surface of the rawat message, he says 3 things, which are a "kinder, gentler" version of what he used to say in the 70's:

1-These 4 techniques are the ultimate spiritual knowledge, and it's his.

2-Rawat is the one and only living "perfect master", and is the only one who can "reveal it'.

3-No one can fulfill the purpose of their life without him. Recently, he stated that "no one comes home without the master". Of course to the premies this is his declaration of his unique divinity, although it's still vague enough to allow prem to wiggle out of it, if necessary. Similar to this are his declarations from various Indian poets, who proclaim the glories of the "master". Once again, it reinforces the belief as lord with the premies, but still gives prem an out, as he can say it was kabir's opinion, etc...

This is the big problem I see premies having:  I don't know one premie in the US, even the most devoted, who are willing to stand up publicly and declare that prem rawat is the one and only way. They generally come up with a fairly liberal explanation like"He does if for me" "He's my master"....basically an "I'm ok, you're OK" type of statement, allowing some sort of religious freedom for others.

However, when you scratch the surface of rawats talks, he definitely lets you know that he is the only way, as he is the one and only "living master"....

Of course you won't hear this at any intro program, but it's still in the message, and in the end, the aspirant may like the premies liberal attitude, but it's not shared by rawat, and it's rawat that they have to accept and listen to. When someone puts that much emphasis on themselves, it's only natural for people to look closely at the man....after that, it doesn't take much to be disappointed with the thought of following this man implicitly for the rest of one's life for their spiritual salvation. And I agree, that one look at most premies does not reveal any more joy than anyone else has, and in many cases, a lot more unhappiness and dysfunctional behavior, due to trying to solve many problems through the practice of knowledge and listening to rawat tell them they are ok, when they really are in need of help and healing in other, more basic ways...