Ok, here's my own subjective 'take' on this:When I first read Rennie's letter - knowing him way back when and his political background, and then 3 decades later reviewing his more recent and current activities (via the internet) - I immediately felt strongly that there was this other hidden agenda, too, which you have expressed:
"My own theory for Rennie’s letter arriving right now, just after we’d been discussing him after John posted his ‘open letter’ was simple damage limitation – not the heartfelt plea for common understanding etc. in which he couched his spin-laden disclaimer. People who google the name ‘Rennie Davis’, say, because they’re interested in his venture capital business, would quickly discover some missing pages from his CV, and hostile voices calling for him to explain a few things – and his failure to respond would be seen by an outsider as less than impressive."
Like many here, too, I also discerned some attempt by Rennie to come to closure quickly - however casually and superficially, in his typically self-centered inflated manner.
However, while attempting to seemingly play both sides of the fence (and i.e. the 2 Stages skit routine), his remarks were also sickeningly patronizing and a bit provocatory, as well as indicative that he is still partial to the guru (of course as a lower, less divine entity, now), but still entrapped in his mistaken beliefs in the magic guru candle (for example), which is an obvious vestige of his indoctrination long ago at Prem Nagar ashram.
References to "the ‘knowledge’ of Guru Maharaj Ji" and statements like "Guru Maharaj Ji was able to create an energetic bridge to my light body" are evidence that he never investigated further into the cult roots, history, etc., nor questioned any of it more deeply after departing to become his own guru.
Similarly, as usual, Rennie doesn't have his facts straight. Prem was 8 when he became guru, not 6 (which was when he got initiated by dada).
He also confuses the "kill the guru" aspect with Prem's "tradition"; in fact, my own first contact with that concept came from the Buddhist tradition, or perhaps it was from reading an interview with Richard Alpert (aka RammeDAss) back in the 1960s: "If you find the guru, kill him." [something like that] It was definitely not any part of the bhakti yoga (devotion) that we were continually force-fed by the maha and his minions. I don't think "Kill the guru" was part of Arti, either, or the initiation oath, or the cult vocabulary, was it?!. But, hey, if that works for somebody... (Hmmm, maybe that's why I got put on WPC security detail, protecting the Perfect Master of our age. So, maybe I just missed something, and Kill the Guru IS an important second stage of the tradition, after all... or Maybe Rennet Ji needs to be put on the bongo premie list at programs; ya never know, after all... )
Based on Rennie's own words regarding this forum ("I suppose if all the readers of this web site agreed with this point of view, your site would have to change its direction or go out of business"), I got no impression whatsoever that he really wanted a genuine discussion on this forum - at least among equals, or with anyone who might intelligently challenge his nebulous suppositions or fantasies. I don't think he's up to that; he doesn't have the balls, or the brains to back it up. [Do you, Rennie?] It would probably be too embarrassing and confronting for him. He doesn't want his ego bubble challenged, or his balloon popped. I mean, he's like a "public personality," after all. Wow!
Conversely, after reviewing all the related documents over at www.ex-premie.org, the Mikes (Donner and Dettmers) were much more straight up, receptive, forthcoming, and down-to-earth. And Pat Halley, the Pie Man, he surprised almost everybody -- turns out he's practically a Saint - metal plate and all in his reconstructed skull and face. He actually forgave Rawat, the cult, and instructor Fakiranand for trying to murder him. Seriously.
On the contrary, Rennet Ji's words would seem to indicate he thinks being superficially "charming and positive" is more important than personal integrity. He doesn't want to look in the mirror - at least not the mirror of his own actions and the consequences on others.
I find these remarks quite revealing:
"Thank you for your invitation to speak." Yeah, Rennie, our community coordinator sent you an invitation to speak at this program of blissful ex-premies. [quietly] btw, I have taken the liberty of handing out these darshan envelopes, for cash-only contributions to your non-profit org. (We're quite used to this procedure.)
"Probably no one knows better than me the need to feel my own righteousness through judgments and blame." His own righteousness? You're right; nobody would know - better than YOU. [with the capital 'Y']
"I feel I owe Guru Maharaj Ji an apology as well." ????? So, when does Rennet Ji get paid back for this abjectly contrite appearance with the apostates? Or, maybe he's got (or could use) some premie business connections, too? [or, Don't tell me You boned Marolyn, too? I remember your routine: sitting there face-to-face looking intently into whichever horny-celibate nubile premie shes eyes, and then the old back massage routine. It worked sometimes, I guess. And, darting out for cigs.]
"I felt touched by the beauty of my own spirit." [cough]
"...we spent a week in a northern Indian ashram filled with Americans, many of them people that had participated in anti-war demonstrations I had organized." As if Rennie single-handedly organized these demonstrations, right? Other sources indicate that was Not the case. (Of course, we wouldn't want to spoil the 'mystique.')
"I felt skeptical—maybe closer to what you feel today." Maybe he thinks people here are just malcontented former aspirants. Hey, Rennie, after you split, some of us practiced this so-called Knowledge for another 25 years. So, oh yeah, I see where you're at now, Rennie. Been there, done that. [That was always a good hippie ego comeback putdown line.] Btw, you seen the chakras, too? Great colors - outa this world, bro! Nectar - sweeeett! Listening to those flutes... So, dude, like why did you leave, anyway?
In his letter, Rennie compares himself to Pascal. In the Forbes magazine interview, he compares himself with Copernicus. See the massive ego? Or, maybe Rennet Ji is the next Stephen Hawking. You got PhDs in math and physics, too?
Then, you must know Los' Theorem, Symmetric case: Given a set V of vertices and a collection of edges on V, either this graph or its edge-complement has the complete graph on V as its transitive closure.
@xyzPxy&Pyz->Pxz.&@xyzQxy&Qyz->Qxz.&@xyQxy->Qyx.&@xyPxy|Qxy.=>@xyPxy|@xyQxy (Los' Theorem)
[Let P and Q be transitive relations and Q is symmetric, such that for every pair (x,y) either P holds or Q holds. Then if there is any pair (a,b) for which P does not hold, then for every pair (x,y), Q does hold.]
btw, Rennie Ji, what's your hat size -- XXXLarge (with capital Xs)? If it expands any further, the universe will be destroyed! Beep! beep! beep! beep! This emergency just calls for 'ThermoMan.'
"Some of the readers of your web site may not realize..." Yeah, Rennie. You are the superior power in person, oh satrugu. Has it Ever occurred to you, maybe You don't realize? [Of course it hasn't. Oy vey, what was I thinking...]
"I thought he was charming and positive." Yeah, after all, that's what's so important. The car salesman who sold me that lemon piece of sh-- was also charming and positive, too. So was the guy who was trying to sell me expensive term life insurance I didn't need. Hey, that's sales, for ya.
"millions of people today are coming to this remarkable understanding." Where do your stats come from, Rennie? The same place as Bush's pre-war intelligence? Bend over, drop trousers, and let's take a look.
"an extraordinary new idea now reaching critical mass." Great -- so, when does the Astrodome levitate, and the alien mothership come, right, etc.? I mean, remember when you were saying this exact same thing about the critical mass of people receiving Knowledge [big K] in this world?
"In the two-stage guru tradition, first you create the experience of being the devotee. Then you create the experience of rejecting the guru." No, Rennie, this was NEVER a part of the Prem Rawat cult tradition, nor what we were Ever taught in his cult, by the Perfect Master - or anyone else! That would have been blasphemy, heresy - grounds for ex-communication, as it were -- or getting your head bonked with a zealot devotee's baragon or hammer! [You must have slept in and missed Arti way too many mornings. Oh, the terrible burden of being a cult celebrity.]
"Blaming others for what happens in one’s life is a stage of awareness and there’s nothing wrong with any stage of awareness. Perhaps a part of humanity is getting ready to move on, however, into a new understanding." Yes, Rennie, you are the vanguard of the NEW movement, the White Panthers, SNCC, Chicago Seven, spokesman for the Perfect SatGuru, somebody once paid by IBM, after all. So, when are You going to move onto a NEW understanding? This stuff you spout now sounds awfully like repackaged stuff that you said 30+ years ago.
"I don’t feel embarrassed about what I have done at any stage of my life." Sounds like George W. Bush! Funny you should mention him in your letter, too, for some reason...
"Guru Maharaj Ji, Rennie Davis, George Bush or other public personalities". Yes, you have now placed yourself in that Holy Trinity of divine avatars and seers, Rennie. You, maha, and W. - and the NEW World Order. [excuse me while I kiss the sky, and barf]
"In a bold departure from the human condition.." Does this mean you have left the mere mortals behind and attained to being a Supreme Superman, oh Great Soul? Or, is this just some more of your predictable bs - or maybe your personal version of 'talking in tongueS'? After all, white man speak with...
"Perhaps this apology and somewhat long explanation can lend a hand to all the ex-devotees of Guru Maharaji Ji." Yeah, well, thanks but no thanks, Rennet Ji. I'm starting to get indigestion from your curdled cheesy enzymes. Maybe THIS response can lend a hand to YOUR own spiritual awakening -- from 'denial.' [That's called Step #1, by the way, Mr. Davis.]
Hey, Rennie [if you're lurking - you sly dogg], if you ever want some genuine, honest discussions with Real Human Beings - that is, sans merde - drop in again sometime. But check that XXXLg hat at the door. This is the Company of Truth, after all.
Ciao,
-- Mick
P.S. That's why I responded the way I did to Rennie's letter, in a post the other day. Bad cop. Reason: Good cop approach doesn't work with an unmitigated bullshitter. You gotta slap 'em around a bit, let 'em know you're wise to their shit; then if they settle down, ok, time for good cop. [Hey, we've all seen worse here, right?! Why should a puffed-up celeb get special treatment? This was all about Him, anyway, not us. If in doubt, just read the letter again.]
If it turns out Rennie comes around again, and actually becomes a straight-up guy, then ok -"sorry." [gee, that was easy]. sorry. sorry. that's pretty sorry, isn't it? like,sorry, dude. ciao.
I mean, lots of us had to listen to him bullshit - for years - going on and on and on and on. Now, it's his turn to Shut up and listen, for a change.
Also,
r.e. a post further down: I don't think "bolshy" is in my Lexycon. However, I did see a ballet on the tele once, and I asked my friend about it. She said it was "bolshi-" (or something like that), and I said, "No, they're very good!"
Hahaha.
When I was in Canada last year doing propagation for the proles, I must have missed something there, too. They're really loony about their dollars. In fact, Loony-Toony.
Oh well, it must be some kind of dialect tick.
Or, maybe it was in a skit with that bearded guy, Grouchy Marx. Or was that Lennon? A working-class hero is no fun to be.
I dunno... Gee, I only made it through grad school... I mean, it's not as if I were the great Rennet Ji. I mean, he's got 4 separate bodies, after all, and wears an XXXLg hat. Who can compete with that? (except maybe Maharaji, Deepak, Trump, Bush - or perhaps Hyacinth Bucket, oops, Bouquet) Surely not Abbie, not Jerry, not Kunstler, not Coffin, not Seale, and certainly not me.
Maybe we can go Quayle hunting sometime, too...
LOL
), truly we’re not. 