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The DLM was formed in 1971 as a non-profit organization and in 1974 was recognized as a church by the United States IRS under section 501(C)(B). In the 1970 s the DLM was scrutinized by the press and the Anti-cult Movement . See also Criticism Of Prem Rawat . Students of Maharaji were called Premie s until the early 1990s . Some of them lived in Ashram s that were closed in 1983 . The DLM in the West was disbanded in 1983 and was superseded by Elan Vital . MISSION'S SUCCESSION RIFT AND THE 1970S Prem Rawat succeeded to the leadership of the DLM upon his father's death in U. S. Department of the Army, ''Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups: A Handbook for Chaplains'' (2001) pp.1-5 , The Minerva Group, ISBN 0898756073 Following his death, Shri Hans Ji appointed the youngest of his four sons, Sant Ji as the next Perfect Master and therefore he assumed the head of the Divine Light Mission as decreed by his father.". His family told American reporters during the early 1970s that Shri Hans was away from home at the time of his death and wrote a letter home to the family essentially naming Prem as his successor. A witness account by Shri Hans' personal driver confirmes that Shri Hans publicly requested that Rawat would continue his work and that some disregarded this request and discussions were held during the customary 12 days of mourning about the succession. This culminated in Prem Rawat addressing the crowd and being accepted by them as their teacher. Singh, Bihari. ''Maharaji accepted by his father's students'', Retrieved Jan 2006 . "Right after Shri Maharaj Ji’s death, the family and several mahatmas were discussing who would become Master after the 13 days of mourning were over. They were thinking about Bal Bhagwan Ji, who was the eldest son. When they asked me what I thought, I said, “Shri Maharaj Ji told us when Maharaji was born, ‘He’s going to take my message all over the world.’ were suggesting that there be several gurus (all four brothers or some group of 5 or 7 gurus), and others were still in the Bal Bhagwan Ji camp. Particularly in India, when a father dies, the older son steps into his place. [... Twelve days after Shri Maharaj Ji’s death, Maharaji went on stage with a handkerchief on his head and spoke for about 45 minutes to the people who had gathered. After listening to him, everybody accepted him as their Master." Fahlbusch E., Lochman J. M., Mbiti J., Pelikan J., Vischer L, Barret D. (Eds.) ''The Encyclopedia of Christianity'' (1998). p.861, ISBN 9004113169 "At the funeral of Shree Hans, his son Prem Pal Singh Rawat {Link without Title} comforted those who mourned his father's death with the thought that they still had perfect knowledge with them. The son himself had become the subject of this knowledge, the perfect master, in the place of his father, and took the title of "guru" and the name of Maharaj Ji, or great king, a title of respect of which other titular names were added. The honors paid him by his followers gave him the characteristic of a messianic child. These were supposedly his by nature and they helped him to eliminate rival claims from his own family." The young Prem reportedly spoke in the same terms as his father had done, comforted grieving devotees and declared his intention to continue his father's work. Melton, Gordon J. ''Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America'',(1986), pp.141-2 Garland Publishing, ISBN 0-8240-9036-5 "Just six years after the founding of the Mission, Shri Hans Ji Maharaj was succeeded by his younger son Prem Pal Singh Rawat, who was eight when he was recognized as the new Perfect Master and assumed the title, Maharaj Ji. Maharaj Ji had been recognized as spiritually adept, even within the circle of the Holy Family as Shri Hans family was called. He had been initiated at the age of six He assumed the role of Perfect Master at his father's funeral by telling the disciples who had gathered. [... Though officially the autocratic leader of the Mission, because of Maharaji's age authority was shared by the whole family." Melton, Gordon J. ''Encyclopedia of American religions'', (1978) p.370-1, McGrath Publishing Company. ISBN 0-8434-643-7 "As they bewailed their loss at his hans Ji Maharaj funeral, one of the four sons, then only eight-years old arose and addressed the crowd. [...] Thus Maharaj Ji proclaimed his lordship and established himself as the new head if his father's mission" His family's support as the rightful successor to his father lasted for another eight years. . In 1974, after a rift in the family due to Prem Rawat's marriage to a westerner and other Westernizing tendencies 7 , his mother publicly retracted her support and endorsed instead her oldest son, Satpal, as the legitimate guru of the DLM. Prem Rawat continued the work of the DLM in the West, while Satpal, acquired the DLM in India. Satpal now claims that his father, Hans Ji Maharaj , "bequeath his mission and unfinished work" to Satpal, not to Prem, and so he, and not Prem, is the sole legitimate heir of their father's guru lineage[http://www.manavdharam.org/maharaj_ji.html . All scholars that write about the succession report the contrary. Beit-Hallahami, Benjamin ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Active New Religions, Sects, and Cults'', (1997), ISBN 0823915050 p. 85 "Divine Light Mission". "When the founder died in 1966, the eight-year old Pretap stood up at the funeral to announce his ascent to the throne and became the movement's recognized leader. {Link without Title} Maharaj Ji was considered Satguru , or the Perfect Master" Melton, Gordon J. Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America, (1986), pp.141-2 entry Divine Light Mission Garland Publishing, ISBN 0-8240-9036-5 "Just six years after the founding of the Mission, Shri Hans Ji Maharaj was succeeded by his younger son Prem Pal Singh Rawat, who was eight when he was recognized as the new Perfect Master and assumed the title, Maharaj Ji. Maharaj Ji had been recognized as spiritually adept, even within the circle of the Holy Family as Shri Hans family was called. He had been initiated at the age of six He assumed the role of Perfect Master at his father's funeral by telling the disciples who had gathered. [... Though officially the autocratic leader of the Mission, because of Maharaji's age authority was shared by the whole family." U. S. Department of the Army, ''Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups: A Handbook for Chaplains'' (2001) pp.11-5 , The Minerva Group, ISBN 0898756073 "Following his death, Shri Hans Ji Maharaj appointed the youngest of his four sons, Sant Ji, as the next Perfect Master and thereby he assumed head of Divine Light Mission as decreed by his father. Since that time, Guru Maharaj Ji has inspired a world wide movement and the Mission is active in 55 countries" and it is clear that Satpal and the rest of the family accepted and supported Prem's declaration of succession for eight years. The websites and publications related to Prem Rawat and his work do not use succession claims to substantiate Maharaji's teachnings as they see Rawat simply as an individual gifted with the ability to speak about inner peace. {Link without Title} . In 1973 after a reporter at a public event in Detroit hit Rawat in the face with a shaving cream pie, the reporter was attacked with a hammer and severely injured by an Indian Mahatma and a western student. In an article published in Penthouse magazine in July 1974, it was reported that the DLM issued a press release informing that the pair were in fact students, and that they were held in custody at the Chicago ashram. They also promised a full investigation. The Detroit police did not pursue the matter. See also: BELIEFS, PRACTICES AND BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS OUTSIDE INDIA Note: this section and all other following sections apply to the DLM outside India only Professor and Alleged Claims Of Personal Divinity . The Hindu trappings associated with the DLM, including the singing of arti where dropped in the 1980s. See Indian Customs Around Prem Rawat Although no beliefs or ethical practices in terms of rules and regulations were taught, the fundamental practices of inner peace were embodied and experienced through Satsang , service and Meditation , the sum of which is an experience Prem Rawat, or Maharaji, called "Knowledge." Maharaji's perspectives delivered during his satsang talks brought great pleasure and meaning to many listeners. The practice of satsang, service and meditation also resulted for many in an inner calm and contentment which guided their behavior in the place of a belief system. Members of the DLM meditated formally twice daily and attended discourse on the Knowledge (satsang) when possible. Vegetarianism was encouraged but not enforced. 4 . MILLENNIUM FESTIVAL IN THE HOUSTON ASTRODOME In 1973, the DLM booked the Houston Astrodome for a three-day gathering of Rawat and several thousand of his students in November 1973, coinciding with Shri Hans's birthday and called "Millennium '73". The event lost money for the organization, but Rawat expressed his satisfaction with it. After a press conference with Prem Rawat, one of the journalists expressed his dissatisfaction with Rawat's answers to questions. See also Millennium Festival . Around the time of this festival the Anti-cult Movement had reached its peak, resulting in several Deprogrammed ex-members becoming vocal critics of the mission 5 . PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN STUDENTS OUTSIDE INDIA
REFERENCES #Haan, page 55 # Barker, page 32 in the Dutch version of the book. The quotes are based on the Dutch version and have been translated back into English. # Messer, in Glock & Bellah (1976) (''note: The child guru refers to Prem Rawat''.) #Melton, Religious Requirements and practices. A Handbook for Chaplains. # Melton & Lewis, The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects, & New Religions, p. 210 # Galanter, Charismatics groups, p. 1 # Chryssides, Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements, p.109 BIBLIOGRAPHY
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