Here's a recent Wikipedia exchange that's rather hilarious.  Momento's attempt to change Rawat's meaning is amazing real-life comedy.  It's like saying that the "Peace Bomb" was Rawat's way of saying "Have a nice day!" --

While it may be true that, on the rare occasions when he talked to the press, Rawat did indeed play down - even sometimes deny - his claims to divinity, it was a very different scenario when he was addressing his premies - or students as they are called nowadays. The whole weight of his 'mission' was designed to associate himself, his so-called "Holy Family", and the meditation techniques with the divine. He described himself as the "Spiritual Head of Divine Light Mission" for God's sake!

The paragraph on the 1970s in the article really should reflect this, and not just the disinformational denials he fed the press.

Incidentally, the references to Hummel, Van der Lans, Kranenborg, Melton, Downton that you mention do very little to explain WHY he was thought of as divine by his followers, and that needs addressing. To avoid doing so does Wikipedia a disservice (and Wiki's credibility - and lack of it - should concern all of us who use and contribute to it). Revera 21:20, 24 April 2007 (UTC)

The "why" can only be described by reporting what reliable sources said about it. Downton, for example, addresses this quite eloquently. You may want to read WP:SYN, that explain the subject why articles cannot include editor's opinions, interpretations, an/or syntheses of primary sources that have not been published as such. ≈ jossi ≈ (talk) 02:42, 25 April 2007 (UTC)

BTW, I never seen an address by PR in which he referred to his family as the "Holy family". From what I have read, I gather that that was very much something her mother and the elder brother were into. ≈ jossi ≈ (talk) 02:46, 25 April 2007 (UTC)

There seems to be a problem with understanding the word "divine". "Divine" means "of, from or like God", not God itself. Rawat has made it clear that he believes God is "pure and perfect energy" and that no human can be God. He has also made it clear that God resides in the heart of every human being and that every human being can enjoy that "Divine" experience. When Rawat came to the west, he presented Knowledge in "Divine" terms with divine analogies from divine books. Knowledge was "Knowledge of God", technique one was "Divine Light", Elan Vital was DLM. He was, after all, an Indian Guru. But as time passed he became more secular and in the '80s he dropped the "divine" connection entirely and presented Knowldge in non-divine terms. The "Guru" became a "teacher", "God" became "peace" etc. He has never denied being "divine", he did deny some of the claims made about him, he always denied being God and he encouraged his followers to see themselves as divine.Momento 21:00, 25 April 2007 (UTC)

:::"There has never been a time when the Lord of Creation did not manifest Himself in human form, and come to this planet Earth to do away with evil and spread the True Knowledge."

Leaving aside the "chicken and egg" limitations of this concept, it is tempting to interpret "manifest himself in human form" and "come to this planet Earth" as being "divinely born". But the above comment must apply to Rawat's father (and the Gurus who preceeded him), a man who slept on railway platforms and didn't become a Guru until he was 36. So the Lord of Creation is not being "born" onto Planet Earth. Rather the Lord of Creation manifests in a previously ordinary human who is then inspired to "do away with evil and spread the True Knowledge". It is therefore a consequence of understanding or revelation not birth. So, more prosaically, Rawat is saying - for all practical purposes there is never a time when God doesn't inspire some person to spread this Knowledge. A fair conclusion considering the workings of Guru succession.Momento 03:11, 26 April 2007 (UTC)

I think these are telling and important points. I would love to see this article keep everyone more or less happy, I don't think more is achievable, but we keep on stumbling over semantics. Given the glare of enough attention, ALL words turn toxic or meaningless. But with a few moments sincere contemplation, I feel the above comment cuts through the hard stuff better than anything else I have seen hereabouts. Rumiton 11:03, 26 April 2007 (UTC)