Radha Soami Satsang Beas admits it is a religion

Religions often come in for well-deserved criticism. They're dogmatic, judgmental, holier-than-thou, and divisive -- since every religion considers that it knows the truth about God, while all those other religions are false. 

(This is why atheists like to say, as Ricky Gervais put it to Stephen Colbert: "There are about 3,000 gods to choose from… Basically, you deny one less God than I do. You don’t believe in 2,999 gods. And I don’t believe in just one more.")

Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) is an Indian group that traditionally has denied it is a religion, but rather a "science of the soul." During the 35 years I belonged to RSSB I went along with this, because I liked to think of myself as a spiritual but not religious sort of guy. 

And during the 14 years that I've had this Church of the Churchless blog, I've typically called RSSB a spiritual organization, which is how RSSB refers to itself. See:

But thanks to good research by Sarah, who shared some links in comments on my posts, it now is clear that Radha Soami Satsang Beas officially considers itself a religion. Here's proof. 

As shown above, an application by RSSB for development of land in Melbourne, Australia for a "place of worship" says that Radha Soami Satsang Beas is a worldwide religious organization. 

And a newspaper story about the development describes the thoroughly religious activities that will occur at the Melbourne center: spiritual discourses, devotional songs/hymns, meditation areas.

Lastly, Michael Cooke, the RSSB head in Australia, said that he was happy the Supreme Court ruled that Radha Soami Satsang Beas truly was a religion, not a philosophical organization. 

So now it can be confidently said that RSSB is a religion like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc. etc. It is based on faith, not science; blind belief, not evidence; communal rituals/worship, not individual experience. 

In the past, including during the days of the previous guru, Charan Singh, RSSB didn't have so many religious tendencies. But the current guru, Gurinder Singh Dhillon, has put a lot of emphasis on building centers around the world, and expanding the RSSB headquarters in the Punjab. 

Dhillon also has spent a lot of time and effort enriching himself and his family through highly dubious financial schemes, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Thus it is entirely fitting that during his reign as guru, RSSB has openly become a religion.

It's well-known that religions are money-making machines. 

Comments

[Appreciative Reader]

They've admitted clearly, themselves, to being religious.

But -- to go off at a bit of a tangent -- would they be a separate religion? Or simply a sect of Hinduism (or perhaps a sect within Sikhism)?

I'll leave it to those better acquainted with RSSB to answer. My own guess would be -- basis my limited knowledge of their teachings -- that they're probably a sect of Hinduism (or Sikhism). Not a separate religion.

[777]

It's a religion

"Ré-ligare" Nobody can enough be re-alligned , absorbed
even when you are 100% adsorbed
Because next "day" it's a completely new ball game ( Purusha)
It always grows
It's fantastic. !

When catholic , I thought ( being 8 )
Heaven must be so boring. !

So . . . .
Keep the tax return

777

[seeker]

777 - are you even making sense with your comments?

[Inderrida]

Dear Seeker,

From my obviously subjective interpretation of 777s comment I feel he or she deconstructs the word "religion" to elucidate its noumenal meaning which is to "re-connect" or "re-align". Since 777 considers Sant Mat a re-connecting spiritual path he states categorically that it is a Religion. Parallel he also articulates that this re-connection (religare) is a dynamic event, not a static teleological one [i.e the boring Catholic heaven]. One thus keeps reconnecting to the One and keeps Reconnecting deeper and deeper in love for ever and ever. The comment by 777 transfers the bloggers angle away from legal meanings [which change with the social settings] towards a spiritual meaning that permeates societies & time & space.

[seeker]

Interrida - Again, totally clueless what's happening here.

[One Initiated]

A Religion with the Master is a Path
A Path without the Master is a Religion

[Arjuna]

@ One intiated - hello brother! Hope you are well.

I agree with your post above - think this is one of Brian’s weaker blogs - nit picking over words. Nevertheless it will be fun to watch a few scratch their heads over this one lol.

Must go the soup is getting cold 😀

[Spence Tepper]

Same Mat has teachings and teachers.
The perfection of these is determined only by the student in their practice.

Even as the student realizes they are imperfect, but succeed in progress on the path, that is spirituality.

Now, when an organizing forms around those teachings it's a mixed blessing.

To the extent that the teachings become published and now available to more people, it's a great advantage, a gift to the world.

To the extent that you have human beings with human flaws involved at each level, you get their flaws. And when they attempt to impart the teachings, you get it mixed with their own shortcomings.

When it passes from generation to generation within a family, the veneration that naturally arises from the awe of inner experience, becomes public devotion, and this devotion is handed down as dogma, and becomes blind faith and superstition.

Or people bring their superstitions and old faiths to the path, mixing the two.

And you have a full on religion.

And this generally includes handling large somes of other people's money and all those issues.

The good news is that the teachings are the same, just read any book, attend the Master's Satsang.

And their internal effect is the same, and in this case, the power of the Master to initiate souls and provide inner support is unchanged.

Anyone exposed to the teachings, anyone soberly and sincerely seeking the practice, desiring to do the work, pulled by some inner desire for meditation, for the spirit, can do no better than Sant Mat.

Whether the focus is on the pure practice (the teachings) or in the human organization (the religion) sits squarely on the shoulders of the individual : Red pill or blue pill?

Once you choose to go within, there is no turning back. Then the organization, the flaws of human beings, and this entire world, even the conjectures about life and death people argue over here, become meaningless distractions and preoccupations.

You decide...

Every day...

[Arjuna]

@Spencer - well said!

"After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill—the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill—you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. Remember: all I'm offering is the truth".

I have taken the red pill:-)

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Arjuna!
Thanks for your beautiful comment.

And thanks for reminding me to keep eyes front.

In meditation, eyes front moves the planets!

Eyes front pulls back the curtain and opens the stage to the singing of angels.

Eyes front returns My Master to me.

(without Him I am in poverty.)

Best advice I've in a long time!

Yah!
Thanks.
PS the regions are real.

[OshoRobbins]

This is really simple.

To get the planning permission RSSB has to be a religion.

They want the planning

So they declare they are a religion.

To get the planning.

They are not going to suddenly announce to the faithful that
We are now a religion.

They claim to be the science of the soul.
As written all over the centres and will no doubt be written over this new center too in time

[Dungeness]

PS the regions are real.

Parroting Ishwar Puri: Only the experience of regions is real; the regions themselves aren't.

But what a lovely "red pill" it must be.

[Arjuna]

@ Dungeness- go and see for yourself - perhaps the demons and screams of souls lost in that place will be “not real”. Don’t believe everything you read.

All the best.

[Arjuna]

@ Spencer - these are dark times where the power of the mind is pretty incredible and I think it’s creatind ripples here on non local minds on earth.

All we can do is be support and eyes front helps us determine what we need to help us get home.

As I said before - not sure why this is happening with the financial stuff . What’s being adjusted by him. But let’s see the play run it’s cause and not get dragged down by the power of the Dark Prince (he is light really). Look how powerful he is. Not admiring him but he is twisting and deterring most quite easily. People think their have independent Intellectual- think again! Well don’t - think.
The way out is In - but eyes front!

Have a great day Spencer - God Bless (yes I believe and won’t sell my soul out because of my ego)!

[One Initiated]

hi Arjuna,

Thanks bro, doing well, just excessively busy with the demanding work.
Hope you are having a good time as well!

"Must go the soup is getting cold"
that was a great.

Must go the soup is getting cold.
Must go the breaths are getting cold.
Must go the blood is getting cold.

[Arjuna]

@ One Initiated - stay stay strong and sometimes abit foolish 😀.

Good vibes being sent your way brother - God Bless you and all on here !

[777]

Inderrida

Thank you very much
You translated my thoughts perfectly in English

Like Einstein had theRelativity Theory explained by a student
and said :
"Wow "now I understand it"

777

Experiencing The Heaven State is à la Fibonacci reversed

The whole universe from a Galaxy to a flower to all animals , including our Neurons are Fibonacci exposures
There is no end, It grows for ever ( Charan )

Sometimes I think decimal & hex are wrong counting

777

Any prayer to God is a re-connecting effort even by a Mosquito

[Spence Tepper]

Hi Dungeness
You wrote
"Parroting Ishwar Puri: Only the experience of regions is real; the regions themselves aren't."

Can you share what Ishwar said?
I seem to recall his mentioning that the regions are places to visit, though we are actually already there, that as our consciousness arises it becomes aware.

And he also mentioned that as for illusion, this place we call physical reality is as much of an illusion as those.

The gardens of the second region are beyond compare. You just go "wow" when you see them. They are as 777 points out more HD than this dull place.

And because of the sensation of acceleration and movement being pulled in and up attended with the journey through the stars there is the proprioception of moving into different huge spaces.

[Anil Ajmani]

Day and night Brian is thinking of RSSB.

[Appreciative Reader]

How do you figure that, Anil Ajmani?

[Arjuna]

@ Spencer- spot on - how I would love to visit those gardens (they are reality). This is not!

See you there - sometime 😀.

But remember don’t get attached there - ask to go higher - we want to see the power that created us. Ask for that and that only !

You will be strong there as you are here. If you are weak here in mind - they usually have a field day with such souls.

Good day and chat soon

[Sarah]

GSD said during an evening meeting at the Dera in October 2016 that RSSB was on the razor’s edge of becoming a religion.

It doesn’t matter to me if they call it a religion or a spiritual path or a philosophy. But don’t go out of your way to say that you’re not a religion and then suddenly want the benefits of being classified as a religion.

[HARENDRA JADWANI]

For someone with such a dedicated obsession to 'exposing' and challenging RSSB, it is a wonder how Brian Hines stayed within that system for decades, even writing a book for it (Life is Fair). Brian got frustrated because the promised astral realms didn't magically appear as quickly as he had dreamed; apparently Brian hadn't paid attention to the '4 lifetimes' concept that Baba Sawan Singh had said. Brian wanted it all in a few years...... Poor Brian! It took humanity billions of years to evolve to its present form from the amoeba; and most scientific achievements only took place in the last few centuries. And that's at the material level - the CRUDE level. Brian wanted to reach the highest, most subtle realms, in the space of a few years, to unveil the DEEPEST SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE in just a few years...... then when things didn't go 'his way', he turned against the system. 'If at first you don't succeed, try try again' - is something Brian abandoned in the spiritual pursuit, but is firmly persevering with in the anti-RSSB obsession. Well keep it up; whatever gives Brian a purpose in life, and gets him up in the morning.

Give it up, Brian, let it go...... either you had no clue what you were doing when you were in the RSSB system, or you don't have a clue what you're doing now.

And yes, the actual RSSB organization is full of flawed people - LOTS of them. But 'going in' (meditating) has tangible benefits that even Western science now admits,

So cut the crap. And just do it. MEDITATE, whether you use the names you were given, or something else. Sit in meditation, then your obsession to decry this organization will at least dissipate. But then perhaps you would lose your purpose in life. So if it helps avoid suicide, then by all means, keep attacking the RSSB system. It can withstand it, I think. I'm 62, and have a few days left in this body. Perhaps; that's all I know - that's all any of us knows - that we are here today, GONE TOMORROW, 'dust in the wind', all we are is dust in the wind'.

[HARENDRA JADWANI]

This is re. Sarah's comment about GSD saying RSSB was 'on the razor' edge of becoming a religion'. I think Sarah completely misinterpreted this comment. GSD was not suggesting RSB would apply for tax benefits or other such 'legal' advantages of being known as a religion. He was expressing his concern that RSSB, which was intended to be a spiritual organization, different from traditional organized religions which had strayed from the original teachings of the Masters who inspired them, was also at risk of similar degeneration. This was an extraordinary admission by him, that instead of focussing on the key spiritual practice of meditation, too many practitioners were using 'sewa' (or the volunteer service they perform, including giving discourses (sermons)) as the mechanism for avoiding meditation. The last thing RSSB Masters including GSD want, is the degeneration of RSSB into an organized religion.

[HARENDRA JADWANI]

Perhaps the building of centers around the world, is not to expand a 'religious organization' as Brian concludes above, but to create havens in the event of climate catastrophe, which the evidence more and more, including the latest US government report which the Trump administration is trying desperately to discredit, is that it is on its way, as little is being done to stop the relentless expenditure of fossil fuels. That is not something anyone has told me, but something I have speculated on....

As for statements made for the purposes of getting permits, it may just be that calling itself a religion may help get those permits. That being said, plenty of false followers of the path exist, by which i mean people who do plenty at the external level, but shy away from their daily 'internal' duty. I infer this from their behaviour in those external duties.