Robert Priddy - A Supporter Of Idi Amin?

Robert Priddy’s Sleaze Campaign Against Sathya Sai Baba:
It should come as no surprise that the ex-devotee and “sleaze extraordinaire”, Robert Priddy, published even more complete disinformation about Sathya Sai Baba and Idi Amin on his Anti-Sai Wordpress blog and Anti-Sai websites.

Facts About Sathya Sai Baba's Brief Encounter With Idi Amin:
It is a fact that Sathya Sai Baba visited East Africa for 14 days in 1968 mostly due to the prayers and persistence of the Sai devotee Dr. Chotabhai G. Patel of Kampala, Uganda.

Because Dr. Patel was the personal doctor for Idi Amin, he was able to secure escorts and general security at various public meetings where numerous high-ranking officials and vast crowds gathered for the darshan of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The security helped mobilize and control the massive crowds and ensured that Sathya Sai Baba and his contingent were allowed to travel to various places in Africa without incident. About Sathya Sai Baba’s trip to Uganda, Narayana Kasturi (a personal aide to the guru who accompanied him on the trip) wrote in Sathyam Sivam Sundaram:

N. Kasturi: Baba's Presence at Kampala was utilized by many for receiving blessings and counsel. The High Commissioner of India, Shri K.P.R. Singh, the Chief of Staff of the Uganda Army, General Idi Amin, the Minister of Defense, Mr. Onama, the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Mr. Ojira, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. Bataringaya, the Inspector of Police, Mr. Oryema, and other African leaders met Him at Dr. Patel's residence and obtained a glimpse of the Glory of Baba. During His stay He addressed gatherings of lions and rotarians, doctors, businessmen, and members and workers of service organizations. He replied with His natural gentleness, sweetness and sense of humor, even intimate personal questions from those who participated. Towards the close of each of the meetings, He moved among the participants creating and distributing to those around Him portraits in enamel or gold, of Christ for the Christians, Guru Nanak for the Sikhs, Zarathustra for the Parsis, and of Himself for those who yearned for them. He spoke lovingly and for long to a group of students from Makrere University and stood amidst them, when they wanted a photograph with Him. (Reference)

Many people (including Idi Amin) posed for pictures with the illustrious guru from India. Robert Priddy (a conspiracist, fanatic and extremist) posted a known picture of Sathya Sai Baba with Idi Amin and maliciously and fraudulently claimed that Idi Amin was a “devotee” of Sathya Sai Baba and that Idi Amin had a picture of Sathya Sai Baba hanging on the wall of his residence.


First and foremost, Idi Amin posed with Sathya Sai Baba at the residence of Dr. Chotabhai G. Patel, hence the picture of the guru on the wall. The picture was not taken at Idi Amin’s residence as falsely claimed by Robert Priddy. About Robert Priddy’s absurd claim that Idi Amin was a “devotee” of Sathya Sai Baba, Robert Priddy has been unable to substantiate this blind assumption with any credible, verifiable or plausible references, sources or materials. Robert Priddy relies entirely on conspiracy.

At no time did Idi Amin declare himself a “devotee” of Sathya Sai Baba, nor are there any known statements, records or documents where Idi Amin publicly expressed devotion to Sathya Sai Baba.

Although Idi Amin was very vocal about his beliefs, there are no known statements, records or documents where Idi Amin made a single reference to Sathya Sai Baba or any Indian guru.

Idi Amin was Muslim, claimed his Muslim heritage, visited Mosques, encouraged Muslim organizations and openly professed himself a Muslim. Idi Amin even visited Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi in Libya. Once again, there are no known statements, records or documents where Idi Amin made any mention (directly, indirectly or otherwise) to any Indian Guru.

Idi Amin held contempt for Indians and expelled them from Uganda. If Idi Amin was truly “devoted” to an Indian Guru, why would he treat Indians so abhorrently?

Idi Amin expelled all Asians from Uganda as the result of instructions he claimed he received from God in a dream. Robert Priddy insinuated that the dream was given to Idi Amin by Sathya Sai Baba. If this were true, why are there no known statements, records or documents from Idi Amin praising Sathya Sai Baba as the “God” of his dream?

At no time after Sathya Sai Baba’s trip to Uganda did Idi Amin visit or have contact again with Sathya Sai Baba. There are no known meetings or correspondence between Idi Amin and Sathya Sai Baba besides their brief encounter in Africa in July 1968.

Sathya Sai Baba’s brief encounter with Idi Amin occurred in 1968, before Amin became a ruthless dictator and before Amin committed the atrocities attributed to him.

Consequently, when Robert Priddy alleged that Idi Amin was a “devotee” of Sathya Sai Baba, he lied. Robert Priddy’s unsupported claims reveal his fanatic and extremist mindset.

Sathya Sai Baba's Prophecy Regarding Idi Amin:
According to both Dr. Chotabhai G. Patel and Dr. D.J. Ghadia, Sathya Sai Baba told various devotees in 1968 that foreigners would be asked to leave Uganda in four years time and that they should relocate. In 1968, life in Uganda was very peaceful and very few people had reason to believe Sathya Sai Baba. Four years later, in 1972, Idi Amin ordered the expulsion of Asians from Uganda. Dr. D.J. Ghadia said in his book Sai Smaran that Dr. C.G. Patel told him that those who did not heed Sathya Sai Baba's words in 1968, only then came to realize the significance of his warning.

Robert Priddy Knew About Sathya Sai Baba’s Encounter With Idi Amin While A Sai Devotee:
Robert Priddy fully acknowledged that he was well aware of Sathya Sai Baba's visit to Uganda and Sathya Sai Baba's brief encounter with Idi Amin and said:

...One story about Sai Baba and Idi Amin circulated in the Sai movement during the near two decades when I was the national leader for Norway in the Sathya Sai Organisation...

When Robert Priddy was a Sai Devotee for 17-26 years, he did not see anything inappropriate or sinister about Sathya Sai Baba's visit to Uganda and his brief encounter with Idi Amin. After defecting from the Sai Movement, however, Robert Priddy would have us believe that Sathya Sai Baba supported a ruthless dictator, “lent himself to Idi Amin's extreme black supremacist stance”, had “secret meetings” with Idi Amin and that Idi Amin was a “devotee”. Needless to say, the most important question left unanswered is: Why was Robert Priddy devoted to Sathya Sai Baba for 17-26 years (even hailing the guru as God Incarnate and the Avatar of the Age) if Sathya Sai Baba truly supported Idi Amin? After all, Robert Priddy studied Sathya Sai Baba's life and teachings to such an extent, he egotistically boasted that no one could better his knowledge about Sathya Sai Baba. Robert Priddy said:

I knew his own words extremely well from my more intensive 20-year study and constant detailed indexing of his discourses, and I never happened across anyone in the Sai movement during 20 years who could better my knowledge of his actual words and teaching...

This statement is very revealing and shows how Robert Priddy's alleged devotion to Sathya Sai Baba was actually some sort of egotistical competition in which he viewed himself as intellectually superior to all others. Robert Priddy actually believed that he alone was an expert when it came to Sathya Sai Baba's “actual words and teachings” although he could not read, write or understand Telugu (Sathya Sai Baba's native language)! Talk about delusions grandeur and self-importance!

About Sathya Sai Baba's teachings, Robert Priddy said in Chapter 22 of his Pro-Sai book Source Of The Dream:

“No one to my knowledge gives such directly simple, yet deceptively deep and subtle, answers to the most enigmatic of questions, nor does so in more straightforward and powerfully-convincing ways than does Baba…No spiritually-interested person who reads Sai discourses or writings can fail to be impressed by the clarity and simplicity of these teachings, which bear comparison with any known higher spiritual teaching...Some insights surpass those to be found in any scripture or comparable work known, at least, to the present writer...”

A rock-solid endorsement to the impressive and striking power of Sathya Sai Baba’s teaching by the self-professed expert who “never happened across anyone in the Sai movement during 20 years who could better his knowledge of Sathya Sai Baba’s actual words and teaching”!

Robert Priddy also loves to bash Sai Devotees as being gullible, naive, stupid, brainwashed, unconvincing, dummylike, egotistical, blind, superstitious, childish, etc. (the list of slurs goes on and on). Of course, the amusing ramification to these accusations against Sai Devotees is that Robert Priddy (the supreme Sai devotee who knew Sathya Sai Baba’s actual words and teaching better than everyone else) must have possessed all these negative qualities when he was a gullible, naive, stupid, brainwashed, unconvincing, dummylike, egotistical, blind, superstitious and childish Sai Devotee for 17-26 years!

Professor G Venktaraman's Reasonable Comments About Idi Amin:

Venkataraman: Many are the slanted items planted in the article that I am referring to. Here is an example. It is stated that Sai Baba gives interviews to major criminals like Idi Amin of Uganda. Consider the facts. In 1968, Swami went to East Africa. He flew from Bombay into Nairobi in Kenya.

He hardly spent any time there because His destination was Kampala in Uganda where He went because of persistent invitations from a devotee [now no more] named Dr. Patel. As you might be aware, Kampala is the capital city of Uganda, and the country extended the courtesy of providing security escort and various arrangements needed at public meetings and so forth. The local host Dr. Patel suggested that it would be in the fitness of things if Swami visited Idi Amin and blessed him; which Swami then did. Why should anyone read more into that?

Idi Amin was no doubt a controversial personality, thanks to his coming down heavily on people who he thought exploited the natives. By the way, the local Indian community was one of the worst affected. That said, let us remember that Idi Amin was also the Head of State at that time. Good, bad or indifferent, various governments of the world had diplomatic relationship with him. Where diplomacy is involved, one cannot always act in a judgmental way; instead, one does that which might help in smoothening matters.

Did not Neville Chamberlin go to Munich to meet Hitler? Did not Roosevelt meet Stalin in Yalta at the height of World War II? Did not Harry Truman later meet that same Stalin in Tehran? Did not Richard Nixon go to Peking [now Beijing] and meet Mao? The fact that Swami met Idi Amin despite the latter’s hostility to the Indian community speaks for itself. By the way, our critic seems to be unaware of the fact that when he was deposed, Idi Amin, a Muslim, sought refuge in Saudi Arabia where he finally died after many years. If Swami was anti-Muslim, why would he meet Idi Amin? (Reference)

Pictures Of Idi Amin With Other Personalities:



The pictures above (click to enlarge) show:

Idi Amin joking around with Ian Wooldrige, a famous British sports journalist.

Idi Amin shaking hands with Josip Broz Tito, the popular leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Idi Amin with the popular former King of Saudi Arabia, Faisal ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

Idi Amin smiling and posing with Janani Jakaliya Luwum (an Archbishop of the Church of Uganda). In 1977 Idi Amin had him murdered.

Idi Amin laughing and sharing an intimate moment with Mohamed Amin, a popular photojournalist.

James Callaghan (former Prime Minister Of The United Kingdom) standing beside the smiling President Idi Amin and his son Mwanga on 12th April 1979.

What would conspiracist Robert Priddy infer from these photographs? That all these people supported the ruthless dictator Idi Amin and “lent themselves to Idi Amin's extreme black supremacist stance”? Using Robert Priddy's logic (illogic) against Sathya Sai Baba, the answer is “yes”.

Robert Priddy, Sathya Sai Baba & Idi Amin: In Conclusion:
Since Robert Priddy sets the standard of “guilt through association”, then one must conclude that Robert Priddy was a promoter and supporter of Idi Amin because of his direct 17-26 year association with Sathya Sai Baba, for whom he professed "uncompromising devotion". Robert Priddy sets the standard and implicates himself in the process.

Robert Priddy also gave a vocal endorsement to a fraudulent composite image of Sathya Sai Baba holding hands with Idi Amin (which was created by Reinier Van Der Sandt). Although Robert Priddy attempted to justify the creation of that composite image, he wholly ignored how the Indian Skeptic published Reinier’s fraudulent picture in their magazine and attempted to pass it off as an authentic picture. See: Sathya Sai Baba And The Idi Amin Picture.

And to top it all off, Robert Priddy was a promoter of LSD for over 30+ years (Refs: 01 - 02) and openly endorses various psychics, guru promoters and trance mediums even though he continually attempts to con the general public into thinking he is rational, skeptical and scientific.

Robert Priddy cites, promotes and professes friendship with:

Trance Channeler & Self-Proclaimed Prophet Conny Larsson

Guru Promoter, UFO Conspiracist & True Believer PhD Timothy Conway

New Age Advocate & Reincarnator Alan Kazlev

Self-Proclaimed Spiritual Master ‘Ramana Baba’

Psychic Healer Yaman Konuralp

Fetishist & Hare Krsna Congregational Member Sanjay Dadlani