From: ted@eslvcr.wimsey.bc.ca (Ted Powell)
Subject: Re: where to find Sai Baba info
Summary: Videotape analysis
Organization: Entropy Limited, Vancouver Canada
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 92 06:04:48 GMT

In article <zlsiida.175@fs1.mcc.ac.uk> zlsiida@fs1.mcc.ac.uk (dave budd) writes:
>I meant, of course, SOC.religion.eastern
>               not talk...........
>              Have another day    [Armageddon, the musical] 
>  Dave Budd, MCC, Oxford Rd, Manchester, England   (44|0)61-275-6033  

From the current (Oct 92) issue of Rational Enquirer, The Skeptics' 
Newsletter for Western Canada:

			Sai Baba Paper Published
Lon Mandrake, Leon Mandrake [by the way, Leon Mandrake was the model for
the comic strip character Mandrake the Magician --tp], Velvet Mandrake, Lou
Crockett and Dale Beyerstein have had an article accepted in the _Journal
of the Society for Psychical Research_ (London). They analyzed a videotape
of Indian god-man Sai Baba, finding evidence compatible with sleight of
hand in the materializations of rings and pendants shown. Also they suggest
a normal explanation for Sai Baba's annual ritual of making vibhuti (ash
produced from cow dung) appear out of a supposedly empty urn and pour all
over a religious statue. Dale Beyerstein has included this paper, along
with others exposing Sai Baba in a collection, _Sai Baba's Miracles_, to be
published in India by Indian CSICOP. The manuscript is currently available
from Dale Beyerstein for $6 to cover printing costs, or at a slightly
higher price from Banyen Books [a Vancouver BC book store --tp].
===end quote from Rational Enquirer===

Dale may be reached by email at: dale_beyerstein@mtsg.ubc.ca
(Sorry, I don't have is postal address handy.)

The following is the table of contents of _Sai Baba's Miracles_ (I assume
the pagination is for the manuscript version):

I                     SAI BABA'S MIRACLES: AN OVERVIEW
                            D. Beyerstein (ed)
                                 CONTENTS

                           EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION                          1

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT SAI BABA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
CLAIMS MADE ABOUT SATHYA SAI BABA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
FORMAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5

                   SAI BABA: OMNISCIENT AND OMNIPOTENT?                   6

OMNISCIENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
1    Sai Baba's Letter To Hislop, 8-9-69:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
2    Sai Baba's Letter To Hislop, 15-1-70. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7
3    V.K. Gokak's Views. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
4    More from Gokak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
5    V. Kanu's Claims. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
6    Sai Baba's Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9
7    Sai Baba Claims Omniscience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   10
OMNIPOTENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   11
8    Sai Baba's Letter to Hislop, 8-9-69 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   11

               DID SAI BABA RESURRECT SOMEONE FROM THE DEAD?             12
THE RADHAKRISHNA CASE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   12
9    Kanu's Account. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   12
10   Murphet's Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   12
11   Dr. Gokak's Endorsement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   14
12   Mrs. Radhakrishna's Account, As Reported by
     Dr. Heraldsson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   15
13   Diary Record Kept by Vijaya Hemchand
     (Radhakrishna's Daughter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   15
14   Hislop's Account. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
15   The Rajah of Venkatigiri's Account,
     As Reported by Haraldsson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   17
THE COWAN CASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   18
16   Kanu's Account. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   18
17   Hislop's Account. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   18
18   Dr. S. Sandweiss' Endorsation of Hislop's Account . . . . . . . .   19
19   Premanand's Comment on the Quality of Hislop's Reporting. . . . .   21
20   Letter from Dr. Vaz (Cowan's attending physician)
     to Premanand, 12-7-88 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   21
21   Letter from Harish Khanna. General Manager,
     Connemara Hotel, to B. Premanand, 17-8-88 . . . . . . . . . . . .   22
22   Letter to B. Premanand from Dr B. Krishna Rau, 13-7-88. . . . . .   23
23   Letter to B. Premanand from Dr. R.S. Rajagopalan, 24-7-88 . . . .   24
24   Dr. Haraldsson's Hypothesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   25
25   Premanand's Response to Haraldsson's Hypothesis . . . . . . . . .   25
26   Hislop's Response to David Lane, 17-7-88. . . . . . . . . . . . .   27

             DOES SAI BABA HAVE COMPLETE TELEPATHIC KNOWLEDGE?           29

27   Hislop's Claim For Sai Baba's Telepathic Knowledge. . . . . . . .   31
BRITISH WIT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31
28   Sai Baba on Winston Churchill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   31
29   Churchill's Wit, Represented by Everyone Else . . . . . . . . . .   32
EARLY 20th CENTURY BRITAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33
30   Sai Baba on Ramsay Macdonald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   33
31   Biographers of Ramsay Macdonald on the Same Incident. . . . . . .   34
THOMAS EDISON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   35
32   Sai Baba's Explanation of Edison's Deafness . . . . . . . . . . .   35
33   Edison Biographer M. Josephson's Debunking
     of this Myth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   35
ALBERT EINSTEIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   37
34   Sai Baba on Einstein's Kindness to a Little Girl. . . . . . . . .   37
35   Ronald Clark Debunks This Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   37
36   Sai Baba on Judgment of Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   38
HISTORY OF INDIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   38
37   Sai Baba on Alexander the Great . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   39
38   Comment by Dr. Anthony Barrett, Professor of
     Classics, the University of British Columbia. . . . . . . . . . .   40
THE NEW TESTAMENT AND THE LIFE OF
JESUS OF NAZARETH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   40
39   Sai Baba's Claims About the Time Of Jesus's Birth . . . . . . . .   40
THE MONTH AND DAY OF JESUS' BIRTH                                        41
40   Clement of Alexandria on the Month and Day
     of Jesus's Birth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   41
41   J.A.S. Evans, Head, Classics Department, the University
     of British Columbia, on Sai Baba's Dating Jesus's
     Birth at 2 B.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   42
42   Paul Mosca, Professor Of Hebrew, UBC, on 
     Sai Baba's Dating of 2 B.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   43
43   Paul Mosca's Comment on Sai Baba' Claim that
     Jesus's Birthday Was a Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   44
44   Sai Baba's First Statement About the Meaning
     of the Star of Bethlehem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   45
45   Sai Baba's Second Statement About the Meaning
     of the Star of Bethlehem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   45
THE RELIGIOUS PRACTICES OF JUDEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   45
46   Sai Baba on Jesus's Attitude Toward Temple Ritual . . . . . . . .   45
47   The Gospels On Jesus's Attitude Toward Temple Rituals . . . . . .   46
48   Jesus Endorsing Sacrifice at the Temple . . . . . . . . . . . . .   46
49   Jesus Endorsing Sacrifice at the End
     of His Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   47
50   Paul Mosca's View of Jesus's Position on Sacrifice. . . . . . . .   47
51   Jesus and Money-changers, According to Mark . . . . . . . . . . .   48
52   Sai Baba on Temples (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   48
53   Sai Baba on Temples (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   48
54   Paul Mosca on the Temple of Jerusalem . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   49
JESUS'S CRUCIFIXION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   49
55   Sai Baba on Judas Iscariot's Name (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   50
56   Sai Baba on Judas Iscariot's Name (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   50
57   Sai Baba's Claim that Jesus was on an
     Eight-Day Fast Prior to the Crucifixion . . . . . . . . . . . . .   52
58   Another Version Of Sai Baba's Remark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   52
59   Uno Langmann's Comments on the Crucifix . . . . . . . . . . . . .   53
60   William S. Dale's Comments on the Crucifix. . . . . . . . . . . .   53
INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   54
61   Mrs. Kamala Sarathy's Description of
     Sai Baba's Knowledge of Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   55
62   Data for Alternate Hypothesis, As Reported by
     Mrs. Sarathy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   55
PHYSICAL SCIENCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   56
63   Sai Baba's Knowledge of Geology, and
     Its Relationship to Chemistry, Physics and
     Botany. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   56
64   Sai Baba's Comprehension of the Meanings of
     Scientific Terms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   57
PATENT LAW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   57
65   Sai Baba on Patent Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   58
66   T. Ganesh U. Pai in Conversation With A
     Sai Baba Devotee Who Is a Lawyer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   58
SANSKRIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   60
67   Lawrence Babb On Sai Baba's Knowledge of Sanskrit . . . . . . . .   60
68   Sai Baba on `Dharma'. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   60
69   Joseph Campbell on `Dharma' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   60
70   The Origin of `Guru' According to Sai Baba. . . . . . . . . . . .   61
WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR SAI BABA'S MISTAKES? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   61
71   H. Murphet Quoting from Dr. Bhagavantam on
     Sai Baba's Attitude Toward Books. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   61
KNOWLEDGE OF DEVOTEE'S LIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   62
72   Kanu's Claim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   62
73   Haraldsson's Survey of Devotees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   62
74   Haraldsson on Sai Baba's Predictions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   63
75   Premanand's Account of Ramaswamy's Audience
     With Sai Baba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   63
76   Transcript of Audiences With Sai Baba,
     By Devotee Annemarie Marwah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   64
77   Audience with Phyllis Krystal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   69

                             MATERIALIZATIONS                            70

LINGAMS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   70
78   Sandweiss' Description of a Lingam Birth. . . . . . . . . . . . .   70
79   Hislop's Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   71
80   Kasturi's Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   71
81   Satchidananda's Instructions for
     Jala or Water Dhauti. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   72
82   Houdini on Regurgitating Objects at Will. . . . . . . . . . . . .   73
83   Sandweiss's Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   74
84   Donald Taylor's Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   74
OTHER MATERIALIZATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   75
85   Magicians' Analysis of Supposed Paranormal Phenomena
     of Indian `God-Man' Sathya Sai Baba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   75
86   Premanand's Report of a Public Exposure of
     Sai Baba Using Conjuring Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   83
87   E. Funibunda's Account of the Cowan Story . . . . . . . . . . . .   84

                              SUNDRY MIRACLES                            85

88   Sai Baba's Excuse for Refusing
     Scientific Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   86
89   Haraldsson's Report of Sai Baba's
     Reasons for Refusal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   87
WATER INTO GAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   87
90   Kanu's Account. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   87
91   Kanu's Claim About Power Over the Elements. . . . . . . . . . . .   88
92   Premanand's Response to These Claims. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   88
THE SEIKO WATCH MATERIALIZATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   89
93   Premanand's Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   89
94   Dr. Bhagavantam's Response to Kovoor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   89
95   Abraham Kovoor's Investigation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   90
96   Abraham Kovoor's Article in
     The Times of India, 12 September, 1976. . . . . . . . . . . . . .   94
97   Dr. Bhagavantam's Reply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   96
98   Premanand's Comments on Bhagavantam's Reply . . . . . . . . . . .   97
99   The Upshot of the Kovoor Bhagvantam Challenge?. . . . . . . . . .   98
`PETAL CALLIGRAPHY'. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   99
100  Kanu's Account. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   99
101  Murphet's Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   99
MATERIALIZATION OF A LARGE GLASS BOWL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  100
102  Murphet's Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  100
OTHER MATERIALIZATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  101
103  Murphet's Account of `Candies From An Empty Bag'. . . . . . . . .  101
104  P.C. Sorcar on His Childhood Magic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  102
105  Producing Statues Out of the Sand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  102
106  Light Appearing From Baba's Forehead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  103
BILOCATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  103
107  The Manjeri Case. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  104
108  Premanand's Comments on the Manjeri Case. . . . . . . . . . . . .  106

                           HEALINGS AND RESCUES                         108

HEALINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  108
109  A Sample of Kanu's `Evidence' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  108
110  Sai Baba's Misdiagnosis of John Hislop's
     Medical Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  109
111  A Description of a Sai Baba `Tonsillectomy' . . . . . . . . . . .  110
112  Mr. Krishnna's `Tonsillectomy'. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  111
113  `Curing' Rabies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  112
114  Consequences of Avoiding Medical Treatment
     for Rabies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  112
115  Joy Ziegler's Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  113
116  Sai Baba on Cancer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  113
117  Sai Baba Using Medical Jargon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  113
118  Infantile Paralysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  114
119  Narasimhaiah's Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  114
120  Cancer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  114
121  Cancer Again. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  115
122  Mental Retardation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  116
RESCUES                                                                 116
123  Babb's Account of Sai Baba's Devotees' Attitude
     Towards Omens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  116

              DOES SAI BABA'S LIFE FULFIL ANCIENT PROPHESIES?           118

DID JESUS FORETELL SAI BABA'S ARRIVAL? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  118
124  Sai Baba's Disclosure of the
     Miraculous Prophecy of Jesus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  118
125  Dietmar Neufeld's Analysis of Sai Baba's Claim. . . . . . . . . .  119
126  NAB Introduction to Revelations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  121
127  Kanu's Discussion of the Prophecy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  122
MOHAMMED'S PREDICTION OF SAI BABA'S ARRIVAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . .  123
128  The Prophesy from Mohammed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  123
CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  124

                               BIBLIOGRAPHY                             125

-- 
ted@eslvcr.wimsey.bc.ca   {ubc-cs,uunet}!van-bc!eslvcr!ted   (Ted Powell)
Newsgroups: sci.skeptic