Testimonial letters
This page is under construction
This page is the central ("master") page for an amazing collection of letters from people all over the world attesting to Osho's superlative qualities as a religious teacher. An impressive number of them were from non-sannyasins, writing in their professional capacities as academics or even officials of nominally "competing" religions, from Catholic priests to Zen teachers. The letters were used to help with Osho's attempt to get permanent resident status in the US at the time of the Oregon ranch.
the story
Osho arrived in the US Jun 1 1981 and stayed in "Kip's Castle", part of Chidvilas Rajneesh Meditation Center, Montclair, in New Jersey. The Ranch was purchased in early Jul but Osho did not move there until Aug 31. (Source for dates in this account is Roshani's Chronology of Events Relating to Rajneeshpuram, Oregon (source document), unless otherwise noted.)
He first arrived on a visitor's visa. On Oct 23 1981, he applied for an extension of that until Mar 1 1982, based on the need for medical treatment. On Nov 24 1981 he applied for permanent US resident status as a religious leader and teacher.
After Osho's visitor visa expired in Jun 1982, he was allowed to stay in the country while his religious leader status was being considered. The decision came on Dec 21 1982; the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) denied Osho's application for permanent resident status. He was given one month to launch an appeal, or else be deported.
Two days later, Osho's lawyers announced they would appeal the INS' decision within 15 days, contesting every aspect. They said that the INS was looking for reasons to reject Osho's applications, noting especially the rudeness and hostility of INS officials at their Dec 22 press conference.
On Jan 5 1983, sannyasins filed their appeal in the INS' regional office in Minneapolis, mentioning five specific grounds:
1. Osho met all requirements as a religious leader
2. the INS misinterpreted and misapplied relevant statutes
3. the INS overstepped their authority in defining a religious worker, eg in saying that Osho could not teach or lead if he was in public silence
4. the INS failed to provide Osho's attorneys with various findings, so they were unable to respond
5. the INS acted arbitrarily and out of prejudice, discriminating on the basis of their own religious beliefs and limited understanding.
the letters
That filing was followed by months of legal wrangling, jostling and jockeying for position. It is not clear when in this process the idea arose and was implemented to collect the testimonial letters but, judging from the letters' dates, it was likely in early Jul of 1983.
According to an email from Roshani, the process of soliciting letters went something like this: "People at the Ranch phoned people to ask them to write. Or they called centers to ask people to write". There were no instructions or fixed format. An immense outpouring came in response from all around the world.
An email from Niren, one of Osho's lawyers at the time, added that not all the letters were used: "The letters deemed most effective, most of which came from sannyasins and others who were accomplished in their chosen fields, were then submitted to the INS as exhibits to a Rebuttal to the INS denial of Osho's visa application.
"Because the INS withdrew the decisions, then later granted the visa petition, but not the application for adjustment of status, there was never a court context to attack the decisions. Hence, the Rebuttals are the most detailed response 'rebutting' the INS denials". He goes into much more detail in his book USA v. Osho.
Over 2700 letters were sent or forwarded to the INS from all over the world. The letters were kept by Osho's immigration lawyer, Jeffrey Noles of Portland, who eventually [when?] donated them to the Oregon Historical Society, based in Portland.
The letters are only a small part of Noles' collection, comprising one box plus most of a second box of documents out of seven boxes in all. A correspondent, Sw Anand Sharma, contacted the OHS and, as of Mar 2022, has obtained and shared pdfs of images of all of the letters with the wiki. We will index them here, and link them eventually to individual pages with images and a searchable text version. Later we will try to get the same for the other files in Noles' collection.
Information on the whole Noles collection can be found at this page. "Series A", also called "Exhibit A", of that collection, by far the largest section, contains "documents used in the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh immigration case that were organized into folders based on the subject. Documents were used as evidence in an attempt to argue his importance and fame all over the world as a religious figure. Includes photocopies of letters, examples of published works, materials from various Rajneesh organizations and information about his religious beliefs and activities both in India and the United States. Includes a few color brochures and an introductory pamphlet". The section dealing with the letters is:
Individual letters of support from all over the world for Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh to gain citizenship in the United States.
The wiki is grateful to the OHS for making access available for these documents.
Uploading the letter images and creating searchable text versions will take some time but will be automated as much as possible after a smooth system is set up. Patience please ....
The table below presents links to each of the letters plus something about each of the letter-writers. The table can be sorted by clicking on any of the column headers. The "notes" column is a bit of a catchall for several kinds of information for which separate columns seemed excessive: whether the letter was handwritten, written in a language other than English or featured an enclosure of some kind, the default empty cell indicating none of these. With each of the "noted" cases, a typed transcription or translation is included.
the letter-writers
Letters from those who identify clearly as sannyasins often cite their prior religious history in order to illustrate Osho's teaching and how it has profoundly improved their lives and understanding of religion. Links will lead to their letters, not their personal pages, which may not exist. The sorting criterion for the name column is the name they are most likely to have been known or be recognized by, usually their last name.
Sorting criterion for non-sannyasins is their surname, usually but not always their last name, depending on their culture of origin. Note that there are a few cases with only legal names but the writers have unambiguously declared themselves to be sannyasins. Like non-sannyasins, they are sorted according to surnames.
Almost all the non-sannyasin letter-writers have stated some position of "expertise" in the non-sannyas world which is the basis of their commenting on Osho's attempt to get official status in the States. Most sannyasins writing do not have a long-standing "outside" position, though their background may have included such a position at one time.
Note that there are many writers whose sannyas status is not clearly indicated one way or the other. A close reading of these unknowns' letters reveals more than a few referring to a long history of visits to Poona and the Ranch, close association with sannyasins, personal meetings with Osho and using a more devotional, flowery, "non-professional" or "sannyas-metaphysical" language, with most of the others having some of these features. The wiki will not speculate on individual letter-writers but we observe this pattern.
It seems likely that many or even most of these undeclared writers are in fact sannyasins, including a few whose legal names are known to wiki editors. Why would they decline to indicate that important fact while championing the superlative qualities of their beloved Master? One reason may have been a likely widespread belief that the INS would not accord their letters the same credibility as those from non-sannyasins; so, while not actively denying their disciplehood, some of their history and language might be toned down.
using the table
Clicking on any of the column headers in the table will sort the table according to the data in that column. Particular column info follows:
- exhibit
-
- indicates the unique ID given each letter by Noles and/or the OHS
- name
-
- click on the header-arrows to sort according to legal surname or sannyas name
- date
-
- date of the letter, also click-sortable
exhibit | name | position / background | date | notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
A-1 | Douglas V Steere | professor philosophy, Haverford College, Haverford PA | 1983-07-16 | |
A-2 | Peter M Kuntz | scholar law & theology, Princeton University | 1983-07-21 | |
A-3 | Daniel Matt | professor Judaic studies, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley CA | 1983-07-20 | Handwritten. |
A-4 | Douglas K Huneke | pastor, Westminster United Presbyterian Church, Tiburon CA | 1983-07-13 | |
A-5 | Mitsuo Aoki | Dept of Religion, University of Hawaii | 1983-07-12 | |
A-6 | Kazuyoshi Kino | research and mission work in Buddhism, | 1983-07-14 | |
A-7 | Frederick Partington | Anglican priest, head of Counseling Courses, Middlesex Polytechnic, UK | 1983-07-18 | |
A-8 | Joseph H Gelberman | rabbi, Tree of Life Synagogue, NYC | 1983-07-26 | |
A-9 | Michael Ziegler | rabbi, Piedmont CA | 1983-07-20 | |
A-10 | Ulrike Eichhoff | protestant vicar (F), Nörten-Hardenberg, Germany | undated | Handwritten. |
A-11 | Gregorio | Archimandrite of Turin (Russian Patriarchal Church), Italy | 1983-07-18 | Original in Italian. |
A-12 | Sw Deva Paritosh (J. Paul Campbell) | Catholic monk --> psychotherapist | 1983-07-14 | |
A-13 | illegible (Orthodox Church of Italy) | National President of the Venerable Permanent Counsel, Orthodox Church of Italy in Florence | 1983-07-10 | |
A-14 | Dr. Gabriel Looser | Dr of Theology, Catholic hospital ministry, Bern, Switzerland | 1983-07-15 | Original in German. |
A-15 | Diane Mintz | MA rabbinic literature and education, Kensington CA | 1983-07-20 | |
A-16 | Reuho Yamada | head priest of Choshoji Temple, Beppu Japan | 1983-07-15 | |
A-17 | Sw Deva Siddhartha (Mattheus Josephus Maria van Langen) | philosophy, theology, Catholic priest | 1983-07-16 | |
A-18 | Klaus Bieger | Protestant theologian, Kiel, Germany | 1983-07-20 | |
A-19 | Revd. Dr. Chad Varah | Prebendary of St Paul's Cathedral, London | 1983-08-04 | |
A-20 | Ma Prem Samadhi (Matthews Selecki) | theology and psychology | 1983-07-20 | |
A-21 | RC Gordon-McCutchan, PhD | professor American religious history, University of California, Santa Barbara | 1983-07-23 | |
A-22 | Felicitas D Goodman, PhD | professor (ret'd) anthropology and linguistics, Denison University, Granville OH | 1983-07-27 | |
A-23 | Rabbi Elihu Kestenbaum | Orthodox rabbi | 1983-07-19 | |
A-24 | Ronald H D'Angelo | Catholic priest + certified psychoanalyst | 1983-07-26 | |
A-25 | Rev Frank Stribling | minister of Sanctuary of Light Church, San Antonio TX | 1983-07-15 | |
A-26 | Ma Prem Hamido (Gertrudis Maria Houben) | Catholic nun, secular teacher | 1983-07-19 | |
A-27 | Eva-Maria Debes | religion teacher | 1983-07-17 | Original in German. |
A-28 | Rev JC Whight | Anglican priest, Australia | 1983-07-22 | |
A-29 | Ronald O Clarke | professor religious studies, Oregon State University | 1983-07-26 | |
A-30 | Sw Devananda (Roger Walton Day) | stock trader --> metaphysics, religious studies | 1983-07-28 | |
A-31 | Sw Prem Gayano (Rudolf Steenstra) | psychology of religion | 1983-07-19 | |
A-32 | Ted A Nordquist, Fil.dr. | researcher history of religion, Uppsala University Sweden | 1983-07-15 | |
A-33 | DJ Michalka | psychologist, Perth, Australia | 1983-07-18 | Handwritten. |
A-34 | Sw Deva Ojas (Theo CC de Ronde) | Catholic monk, priest --> adult education | 1983-07-18 | |
A-35 | Ma Deva Pyari (Renate Mayas) | teacher of German and religion | 1983-07-18 | Handwritten. |
A-36 | Robert Lazeres | Carmelite monk, philosophy | 1983-07-23 | |
A-37 | Robert John Egan | Jesuit priest, teacher, philosophy, theology, Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley CA | 1983-07-18 | |
A-38 | Ülo Johannes Luuka | protestant priest --> professor social work | 1983-07-17 | |
A-39 | Sw Antar Dhiren (Friedemann Howorka) | protestant minister, BA theology | 1983-08-22 | |
A-40 | Kathryn J Raban | theology, "special needs" teacher, Loughborough UK | 1983-07-16 | Handwritten. |
A-41 | Sw Veet Sangharsh (James R Agee) | Lutheran minister --> Quakers + Zen studies | 1983-07-21 | |
A-42 | Dr Hermann Steinkamp | Dean of theology, Münster University, Germany | 1983-07-20 | |
A-43 | Dr Agnete Kutar | PhD, lecturer Indology, Free University of Berlin, Germany | 1983-07-25 | |
A-44 | Ma Sambodhi (Jill R Gerhard) | radio + TV talk shows, screenwriter --> minister | 1983-07-20 | |
A-45 | Zen Master Seung Sahn | Korean Zen master, Providence RI | 1983-07-20 | |
A-46 | Alfred Bloom | professor religion University of Hawaii | 1983-07-16 | |
A-47 | Ursel-Renata Krüsi | theology --> psychotherapy | 1983-07-19 | Original in German. |
A-48 | Rev Terry Cole-Whittaker | minister (live + TV), motivational speaker, author, San Diego CA | 1983-07-15 | |
A-49 | Sabine Hindelang | theology, history of Lutheranism | 1983-07-20 | |
A-50 | Dr Jim Garrison | writer, director, East-West Reach, London | 1983-07-18 | |
A-51 | Rev Thomas D Cammack | Community Caring Project, San Francisco | 1983-07-19 | |
A-52 | Masanori Oe | translator Tibetan Buddhism, Yamanashi-ken Japan | 1983-07-21 | |
A-53 | Masaaki Monju | temple master Jitokuin, Kyoto Japan | 1983-07-14 | |
A-54 | Koku Nishimura | Second Patriarch, Tani School, Fuke Zen Sect, Kumamoto-shi Japan | 1983-07-19 | |
A-55 | Jorgen Thorndal Larsen | philosophy - religion - science intersection, Copenhagen | undated | |
A-56 | MC Blackden | teacher religion and theology | 1983-07-21 | |
A-59 | K Staub | theology, sociology, School for Social Work, Vienna | 1983-07-15 | Original in German. |
A-57 | Sw Bodhimitra (Dr. Henri Gerhard) | teacher, minister, United Church of Religious Science | undated | |
A-58 | Sw Dhyan Herbert (Prof. Dr. Herbert Muck) | professor, science of art and semiotics, Institute for Sacred Art, Vienna | 1983-07-17 | Original in German. |
A-60 | Sister Ann McNeil | Tibetan Buddhist nun aka Ani Lobsang Dolma, Berkeley CA | 1983-07-20 | |
A-61 | Rev James A Gattuso | founder, Center of New Thought, Philosophy Church and Education Society, Akron OH | 1983-07-17 | |
A-62 | Sw Anand Alok (John Kwang-han Hsu) | immigrant from China to US, math, ethics, theology, counseling, minister | 1983-07-19 | |
A-63 | A Durwood Foster | professor Christian Theology, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley CA | 1983-07-15 | |
A-64 | Sw Anand Kamalesh | Jesuit --> clinical psychologist | 1983-07-18 | |
A-65 | Rev Richard Douglas Cain | chaplain Churchill College, Cambridge UK | 1983-07-20 | |
A-66 | Jean-Yves Leloup | doctorates in theology, philosophy and psychology, professor École de théologie, Toulouse FR | 1983-07-24 | Original in French. |
A-67 | CPA van Esch | studied theology and philosophy, Ubbergen NL | 1983-07-17 | |
A-68 | Jörg Marxen | church counselor --> clinical psychologist, Braunschweig DE | 1983-07-23 | |
A-69 | Ma Deva Anurago (Cornelia Wilhelmina Farrow) | minister Dutch Reformed Church --> journalist | 1983-07-16 | |
A-70 | Christiane van der Spieren | teacher of Catholic religion, Mechelen BE | undated | |
A-71 | Christopher F Mooney | professor religious studies, Fairfield University, Fairfield CT | 1983-08-11 | |
A-72 | Herbert Dale Long | professor religious studies, San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo CA | 1983-07-13 | |
A-73 | Robert Aitken | Zen master, Diamond Sangha, Honolulu HI | 1983-07-22 | |
A-74 | Drs Jan Bergers | Catholic priest, educator, Baak NL | 1983-07-16 | |
A-75 | Michael Leger | Christian missionary --> ecology | 1983-07-23 | |
A-76 | Lorraine Thomas | lecturer psychology, religious studies, runs mental health clinic, Palmerston North NZ | 1983-08-22 | |
A-77 | Margareta Skog | researcher Stockholm Institute of the Sociology of Religion, Stockholm SE | 1983-07-21 | |
A-78 | prof Vittorio Giavotto | president, Centro Ghe-Pel-Ling, Milano IT | 1983-07-18 | |
A-79 | Dr Hans-Jürgen Greschat | professor history of religions University of Marburg, Marburg DE | 1983-07-19 | |
A-80 | David Thomas Kyle PhD | college teacher philosophy and religion, writer, counselor, Woodside CA | 1983-08-01 | |
A-81 | Ma Deva Sadhana | philosophy, comparative religion | 1983-07-23 | Handwritten. |
A-82 | Gianni Vanonni | researcher, Interdisciplinary Research Center, University of Florence, IT | 1983-07-23 | Handwritten, in Italian. |
A-83 | Robert S Ellwood | professor Oriental studies, University of Southern California, Los Angeles | 1983-07-19 | Has enclosure. |
A-84 | Prof Dr theol Gerhard Marcel Martin | professor practical theology, University of Marburg, Marburg DE | 1983-07-22 | |
A-85 | Leonard A Voegtle, AMS | Provincial Superior, Marist Brothers (a Catholic order), Wheeling WV | 1983-07-15 | |
A-86 | Dr Warren J Stagg, ND, DD, PhD | assoc. with HELP Unlimited (non-profit religious, scientific and educational foundation) Hollywood CA | 1983-07-14 | |
A-87 | illegible (Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa) | three officials of the Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Pomaia IT | 1983-07-27 | |
A-88 | Roger Abelson | executive director, National Jewish Chamber of Commerce, San Francisco CA | 1983-07-10 | |
A-89 | Diane Choquette | head of New Religious Movements research, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley CA | 1983-07-19 | |
A-90 | Rev Ken H Hills | priest, Church of England, Birmingham UK | 1983-07-29 | |
A-91 | Carol Voisin | president, Berkeley Area Interfaith Council, Berkeley CA | 1983-07-20 | |
A-92 | Shinkai Tanaka | Zen temple master, Kameoka-shi Japan | 1983-07-12 | |
A-93 | Sun Bear | Medicine Chief, Bear Tribe Medicine Society, Spokane WA | 1983-08-02 | |
A-94 | Kou Sugawara | head priest Goseiji Temple Foundation, Japan | undated | |
A-95 | Paul F Knitter | professor theology Xavier University, Cincinnati OH | 1983-08-10 | |
A-96 | Edvard D Vogt | assoc professor sociology of religion, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, Bergen | 1983-08-22 | |
A-97 | Sw Prem Amitabh, PhD | professor psychology --> Acharya, Academy of Rajneeshism | 1983-07-25 | |
A-98 | Ma Prem Arup | Acharya, Academy of Rajneeshism | 1983-07-26 | |
A-99 | Ma Prem Divya | primal therapist --> director Rajneesh Institute of Alchemy | 1983-07-26 | |
A-100 | Ma Prem Isabel | Acharya, Academy of Rajneeshism | 1983-07-26 | |
A-101 | Ma Prem Karuna | Acharya, Academy of Rajneeshism | 1983-07-26 | |
A-102 | Sw Anand Maitreya (Mathura Prasad Mishra) | Member of Parliament in India --> Acharya, Academy of Rajneeshism | 1983-07-27 | |
A-103 | Sw Anand Niketana (Hubertus Gerardus Gertrudis Beckers) | chairman De Stad Rajneesh Foundation, Heerde NL; Acharya, Academy of Rajneeshism | 1983-07-20 | |
A-104 | Ma Dhyan Rosalie | ass’t director Rajneesh Institute of Nature Living | 1983-07-26 | |
A-105 | Sw Anand Santosh | dean, Rajneesh International Meditation University; director, Rajneesh Institute for Dehypnotherapy | 1983-07-26 | |
A-106 | Sw Prem Siddha, MD | psychiatrist; Acharya, Academy of Rajneeshism | 1983-07-26 | |
A-107 | Ma Prem Sunshine | Arihanta (Minister of Rajneeshism) | 1983-07-26 | |
A-108 | Sw Ananda Teertha | Acharya; director, Rajneesh Institute for Meditation and Self-Transformation | 1983-07-13 | |
A-109 | Sw Santosh Toby | Arihanta (Minister of Rajneeshism); director, Rajneesh Insitute of Music and Dance | 1983-07-26 | |
A-110 | Sw Satya Vedant, PhD | Asian studies --> Chancelllor, Rajneesh International Meditation University; Acharya, Academy of Rajneeshism | 1983-07-26 | |
A-111 | Ma Deva Waduda | Siddha (Minister of Rajneeshism) | 1983-07-26 | |
A-112 | Ma Latifa (Gertrud Cordes) | Acharya, Academy of Rajneeshism | 1983-07-20 |
footnotes
enclosures
Brief descriptions of each enclosure -- there do not appear at this point to have been many -- follow below. Images of all enclosures will appear with their letters on the individual letter pages, as well as searchable text versions if applicable.
Robert Ellwood's letter (exhibit # A-83) encloses two pages from a bio of Ramana Maharshi to illustrate the concept of teaching in silence.
editors' picks
Since there are so many letters, how is a reader to know which ones might be the most worthy of their attention? This section will attempt to address that with a few recommendations. Our list is of course not going to please everyone, so good luck ....