File this under my personal favorite category: truth is stranger than fiction.
I’m lucky to be part of a writing coop called the Sanchez Grotto. A former crack den has been subdivided into small offices, each rented by a different writer. I’m in the “Secret Garden room” in the back, in my personal opinion the best space because it’s right off the kitchen (easy access to food) and has a view of the backyard.
We’re an unusual mix, everything from a travel writer to a screenwriter to an ER psychiatrist. Recently, a member of our motley crew vaulted from relative obscurity to the big time (in Bull Durham terms, he went to “The Show.”)
Raj Patel is a brilliant economist and social activist. His latest nonfiction book, THE VALUE OF NOTHING, is a look at how free market economies have at times done more harm than good. The w
eek of the book’s release, he was interviewed by Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report. It’s a great interview, which kicks off with Colbert digging his interview questions out of the slot in his desk where they’d fallen with his tongue. See it here for a good laugh.
Raj’s book subsequently made it to the New York Times bestsellers list, and everything was going along nicely.That’s when things started to get weird.
He began receiving emails- first a few a day, then hundreds, then a massive flood. Not from Nigerian princes, either- these were from folks asking if he was indeed the Maitreya, and if so how he planned to save the world.
Apparently there’s a New Age guru called Benjamin Creme who has assigned himself the task of alerting the world when the “Maitreya” shows up. For those of you (like me) who have neve
r heard of this before, the Maitreya is supposed to be a great teacher who unites all the religions- sort of a Messiah for everyone.
As it happens, at a public lecture at Friends House, Euston Road, London, on 14 January 2010, Benjamin Creme announced that, “Maitreya, the World Teacher, has given His first interview on American television. Millions have heard Him speak both on TV and the internet. His open mission has begun.”
Guess who appeared on television on January 12th?
So Creme’s followers, not dissuaded by the fact that he’s been wrong before, scoured the airwaves and stumbled across Raj’s interview. What really convinced them was that not only is he a social activist, he’s also of Indian descent, was born in 1972, and has a slight stammer. All of which match the Maitreya checklist.
So believers started flying in to attend his events, some spending thousands on plane tickets.
Raj, understanda
bly perplexed by being thrust into a surreal, “Life of Brian” existence, has vehemently denied all attempts to deify him.
The problem is, apparently if the Maitreya appears, that’s exactly what he’ll do- deny that he is in fact the savior. So the more Raj insists that he’s not what they’re looking for, the more followers believe. Their forums have gone ballistic. They’ve spliced his Amazon author interview together with a Maitreya montage to show the parallels in their philosophies.
Now, I suspect we’ve all known writers who thought they were God. But do we know any who were mistaken for one?
Our other office mate Scott James wrote a piece on this for the NY Times, if you’re curious to hear more details click here.
Just think- if I made this up, chances are no one would believe it.
Actually a lot of what is in your post is ‘made up’. The people who think Raj Patel is Maitreya are NOT followers Creme or Share International. They are actually mainly Christian fundamentalists who are anxious to denounce Maitreya and prove that Maitreya is not the real Christ.
Also, Maitreya was not born in 1972, unlike Patel he was in an adult body in 1977 when he flew to London. Again, the real Maitreya would neither affirm or deny that he is Maitreya the Christ (and Patel has already denied it).
It does make for a good story, but at least try to get it straight and stop making things up.
Maitreya will become known to most people in good time, you just need to be patient and have an open mind. Once you recognize Him for who He is, maybe you won’t find it so funny.
God, Michelle, get your ding-dang Messianic facts straight! Plus it’s Cream. It was a band.
You’re right, John. Eric Clapton is a god.
Raj should run with it. Get some people to do some good in Maitreya’s name. You know, helping others, showing tolerance, doing things for the greater good. That’ll really confuse those fundamentalists, and it might chill Dave out a little, too.
And of course, we all know that Cher Int. is nothing but a bunch of “gypsies, tramps and thieves.”
The neat thing about religion, aside from speaking in tongues, drinking poisons, and dancing with venomous reptiles, is that it brings out the best and worst in people. I try to stay away from discussing that and politics. And I’ve discovered that often talking about snakes (especially at the feed store) leads to talk about religion, so serpent talk is taboo too.
I’d give your office mate the same advice I was given when my first screenplay was optioned by a big name film and TV star, and thought I was going to become the Next Big Thing: “Enjoy the roller coaster ride while it lasts.” Fascinating story, Michelle!
Kathryn, there’s an old saying: “Hollywood is the only town where you can die of encouragement.”
You’re right, Michelle. If this appeared in a novel (unless tagged as humor), no one would buy it. Scripture warns of false prophets … but there’s no mention (that I know of) of reluctant No-I’m-Not-God people who others wrongly deify. As far as God is concerned, I think your friend is safe.
Man, tough spot for Raj. Fame, Fortune, and fanatical lonely people who want to make him a god.
As a Christian I will say two things.
1. it is amazing how far people will go to build their own mysticism instead of just living the Ten Commandments.
2. John…snakes? Must be a Southern thing. That’s just creepy. I mean everyone knows the way to true holiness is the Grizzly Bear Dance. You know “The Claws will purge Ye whence they scourge Ye.”
I read the NYT article and was meaning to ask you about how it felt to have a deity as a neighbor – poor Raj he must feel besieged! As you say, truth certainly is stranger than fiction!
On the plus side, it has helped spread the word about Raj’s work, which is brilliant and revolutionary in its own right.
Oh, if only it were true. But alas, Benjamin Creme’s own writing say that Meitreya lives as a Pakistani in London and goes by a Moslem name. As far as I know, Patel is an Indian name. On his website Raj Patel states his family is Indian. So if Meitreys has come forward it must be as someone else. As an author, I’m sure all the attention being lavished on Raj Patel by you guys is only helping to accomplish one thing – help him sell his books!
Ummm, did anyone bother to do any basic research on this guy before you proclaimed him Maitreya???
Anonymous- as you’ll see if you follow the links in my post, I am not the one responsible for proclaiming him as a deity. Raj was suddenly swamped by emails from people professing to be Creme’s followers. So apparently there is dissent in the ranks.
Raj Patel is being used as a mouthpiece for maitreya. Don’t be fooled by any of these smooth talking liars.