---

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 3511 • Posted: Friday June 20, 2003  

---

Bristol Evening Post (England), June 17, 2003
http://www.thisisbristol.com/
BY CHARLIE MORTON

An inquiry has been launched into the organisation linked with controversial speaker Prem Rawat, who led The Charity Commission has confirmed that it is investigating Elan Vital, the UK-registered charity which was set up in 1997.

The Indian-born icon Mr Rawat was billed as a motivational speaker when he addressed two sell-out crowds at the Colston Hall on Saturday and Sunday.

But up until just a few years ago, Mr Rawat was known as the Guru Maharaj Ji, head of the Divine Light Mission and who was once called Lord of the Universe by followers who lined up to kiss his feet.

Andrew Carpenter, a former follower of Mr Rawat, spent three months investigating Elan Vital before making a submission to the Charity Commission this month.

Mr Carpenter claims that between 1996 and 2002, Elan Vital gifted more than £4.5 million in grant aid to organisations in Switzerland, America and Australia, all exempt from providing public statements on their activities and spending.

Mr Carpenter, whose name has been changed at his request, also claims that Elan Vital fails to meet its stated objectives as an educational charity.

The 48-year-old, from South Bristol, said: “I find it difficult to understand how initial registration was granted.”

Yesterday the Evening Post revealed that Canon Peter Bailey, a close advisor to the Bishop of Bristol, had urged people to question the movement’s promises.

He said people should make up their own minds about what the group claims.

A Charity Commission spokesman confirmed that an investigation was underway.

He said: “We have received a complaint about the administration and status of the charity which will be given our full consideration.”

Elan Vital was unavailable for comment but, in an interview with Venue magazine earlier this month, a representative said: “We would like to counter the suggestion that this is a religious movement. Prem Rawat teaches no code, creed or dogma.”

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Prem Rawat Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Prem Rawat Read Another Article Previous entry: Utah Prepares for Rainbow People Next entry: Girl weds dog to break ‘evil spell’ RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Prem Rawat Most Popular Today Megachurch founding pastors Randy and Paula White to seek divorce Randy and Paula White: Divorce shakes evangelical empire Evangelist Bynum attacked by husband in parking lot Jane Doe in Warren Jeffs case no longer seeks anonymity, shows photo The End of the World Cult: Michael Travesser Well-Known TV Minister Juanita Bynum Told Police Husband Savagely Beat Her Escape from polygamy: Ex-plural wife alleges rampant abuse in FLDS unions Televangelist Joel Osteen shuns lavish lifestyle Juanita Bynum, Thomas Weeks willing to reconcile? A church accounting: Joyce Meyer’s $23,000 toilet, Scientology, and more…

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.