Talk:Sathya Sai Baba

New York Times explains gold watch illusion

[Prime Minister] Rao's contacts with swamis have brought him embarrassment more than once. In 1993, he seemed moved during a visit to his native state of Andhra Pradesh when a well-known guru, Sai Baba, appeared to produce a gold watch out of thin air. But Indian newspapers had considerable fun at Mr. Rao's expense when film of the event that had been taped by an Indian state television team was played back in slow motion and revealed the Mr. Baba had employed sleight-of-hand techniques commonly used by magicians.

— John F. Burns (October 10, 1995). "India's 'Guru Busters' Debunk All That's Mystical". New York Times.

There are many good videos and documentaries on his magic tricks. When observed closely they are not even performed particularly well, but certainly well enough to fool anyone who isn't a magician by trade (or just extremely observant). If it was just magic tricks then fine, but he tricks people into believing he is like a god .. and worse. These videos of Sai Baba explain it well :

• Documentary on Sai Baba - includes some abuse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWmDcvZ3l48

• Magic tricks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yblhsr1O4IQ

Zarkme (talk) 01:18, 27 June 2012 (UTC)

This is all original research. We can only report what reputable secondary sources have said about the subject. Rumiton (talk) 02:47, 27 June 2012 (UTC)

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Image

I think the image http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sathyasaibabafloat1946.jpg might need to be changed, with due respect for the present beautiful image. Sathya Sai Baba I think, is more known for love and sacrifice. For a person who wants to know about Him, I think that is the impression this page should try to create. Here is an image I found on the internet http://www.saibaba.ws/quotes/swambending.JPG Also, I think some where in the page there should be a well known close up photo of Him, like this one http://www.bharatwaves.in/portal/uploads/original_sathya-sai-baba_4d933cb89bdf2.jpg

Ramprasad N (talk) 16:45, 26 April 2012 (UTC)

Sai Baba is known for a number of his actions and qualities. If you look through the archives, for example here [[1]], you will see that this issue has been discussed at length. The problem apparently is that no cameras were ever allowed around the subject, so no privately owned pics exist. The only pics around are copyright of the Associated Press, so cannot be used, or the Sai Baba Society, likewise. This pic is old enough to be usable. Rumiton (talk) 09:55, 31 May 2012 (UTC)

Criticism sections starting to grow again

I have been involved in this article for a very long time. It was stable for over a year, all parties agreed on the version. Its starting to go negative again. Again the legacy of Baba is secure, all criticism and accusations are unproven. They should be in the article but a small part. Times of India which is a reliable source did a huge spread on the good works of Baba. This will be used in my future edits. This article has been through many edit wars and arbitrations. That's where it seems to be going again unless people stop trying to grow the criticisms again which again are unfounded, unproven and mentioned only in a few sources dating from 2000-2004. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.184.234.38 (talk) 13:54, 16 August 2012 (UTC)

I have never heard of this man before reading the wikipedia article. That being said, the 3 references provided for the 1993 assassination attempt seems to check out upon reading them. Why do you keep removing this section that seems to be well documented? Toasty (talk) 14:15, 16 August 2012 (UTC)

India Today Special Edition "DIVINE GRACE: SATHYA SAI BABA"

I think when we are writing for India Today which published some unfprtunate misunderstandings for Sathya Sai Baba we should also include the Special Edition published by India Today this year 2012. India Today has done various researches and contacted many world famous scientists and colected the proof of genuine miracle and divine aura and powers of sathya sai baba and then published this Special Edition which had a record breaking sale this year around Febuary. I think wikipedia should include this also because it contains all the proofs as well for SAI BABA's Love, sacrifice, and Aura around Him. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 122.163.211.244 (talk) 05:18, 19 August 2012 (UTC)

I cannot find it on their website. What you say sound quite unlikely because how is the India Today magazine going to reconcile a positive article with the extremely serious accusations that they have levelled at SBB in their 2001 article "A God Accused". See http://indiatoday.intoday.in/ Andries (talk) 07:51, 19 August 2012 (UTC)

May be it was a sponsored edition which cannot be used as a source for this article. Andries (talk) 07:58, 19 August 2012 (UTC)