Religious Scholar

By definition, a guru is a respected teacher and mentor, particularly in the area of religious or spiritual education. But like leaders in other fields, gurus sometimes succumb to temptation and, at the worst, take their disciples and students with them as they slide down the slippery slope of moral and intellectual decline.

Some religious and spiritual sects go to great lengths to falsify or deny facts about their belief systems and their leadership. It almost goes without saying that anyone embarking on a specific pathway should be unstinting in his or her research before committing to a life of devotion, service, and financial support of a teacher or institution, even if one was immersed in a religious tradition since birth. After careful study, one may conclude that the occasional wayward priest, rabbi, preacher, or imam is no reason to discard the entire corpus of a particular religion's teachings. On the other hand, if the CEO and Founder Emeritus of a religious pathway turns out to be a quack of the first order, it may be time to take one's soul-searching elsewhere.

We need all the tools we can find to help us make what arguably is the most important decision of our lives: what path will we follow in the quest for meaning and understanding? I recently came across a useful book, Stripping the Gurus by Geoffrey Falk, with much documented evidence about famous gurus and other spiritual leaders of our time. While the book may be purchased online, the author has also made it available free for downloading, which is what I did, and what you may care to do as well. I don't suggest that this work contains the last word in advice on the subject, but you will find it a useful departure point for your own search for information about those who lead or mislead in matters of the spirit.

http://www.strippingthegurus.com/ebook/Stripping_the_Gurus.pdf