CULTS CRITIQUE / by Betty Bruechert
self-realization fellowship
Indian swami’s faith, became a nun ip his Self Realization Fellowship and has lived there ever since. Today, Faye Wright is revered throughout the world by 100,000 bap tized members of Self-Realization Fel lowship. As president, executive administra tor and spiritual head of the religious group, she is the sect’s supreme lead er on earth. Her every word is law. Given New Name When she entered monastic life in 1932 on Mount Washington, Faye Wright’s given name and her Mor mon background became memories of the past. She took vows of chastity, poverty, obedience and loyalty. Now, she is respectfully addressed as Sri Daya Mata — which means Holy Mother of Compassion. She is regarded by her followers as one of the few chosen holy women of the ages. “My mission as leader of Self-Rea lization Fellowship, the Church of All Religions,” explains Daya Mata, “is the same as that of the master, Para mahansa — to attempt to bring about unity among all religions. Spiritual Unity “ This is an astounding age we are entering. Change is occuring every* where — in all fields. I believe some day Self-Realization Fellowship will be one of the major religions of the world.” Yogananda, born in India of weal thy parents in 1893, came to this country in 1920 “ for the purpose of spiritually uniting East and West.” In 1925 he purchased a local land mark, Mount Washington Hotel, and established in it world headquarters for his new religion that is said to blend basic precepts of Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Hin duism. By the time of Yogananda’s death in 1952, he had written scores of books embodying his religious beliefs and philosophy. His 20-acre headquar ters on Mount Washington had be come a mecca for Self-Realizationists from across the land from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, the Near East, Austra lia and Africa. Yogananda’s successor was wealthy Kansas City J. Lynn who headed the
Lake City visited the headquarters of a strange new religious colony crown ing Mount Washington overlooking the Los Angeles Civic Center. She became so enthused with the teachings of its leader, Paramahansa Yogananda, that she embraced the
This month, with the kind permission of the Los A ngeles T imes , we quote cm article which appeared in this ex cellent newspaper under date of May 19th, 1963, byline Charles H illinger: T hirty two years ago Faye Wright, 17, a Mormon girl from Salt
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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