I do think belief in God is irrational, but I don't dismiss people for being religious because I understand that such belief offers great emotional support. There is a difference between someone who holds personal religious beliefs and someone who is trying to convert people to their belief system for personal gain.
This is what people like Sadhguru do, but at massive scale. He is a classic cult leader, a more sophisticated Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh catering to a more sophisticated and English-speaking audience. Organisations like his Isha are non-profit for tax benefits as they don't end up paying income taxes and donations to them are tax-deductible almost worldwide. And of course they are massive vote banks which is why they are protected by politicians.
I don't have a problem with non-western beliefs. I've had a daily meditation practice for years, currently at least an hour everyday. But it's just psychological exercise. Nobody should have to pay $400 to Sadhguru's rebranding of these public domain practices, even if Sadhguru exclaims it is not for profit as he rides into the sunset on his BMW motorcycle or private jet.
So his argument is that he charges rich urban people for their own good because they are too spoilt to attend the program in bare minimum conditions in rural settings and they only commit when they have to spend money. I suppose he thinks rich people take only rich gurus seriously.
It falls flat when you consider, to name just one example, Vipassana courses that are 100% free and taken very seriously by all participants. Nobody is walking in and out of those courses. The teachers are volunteers who are neither rich nor famous. It doesn’t lessen the seriousness of the participants.
Edit: if there is any doubt Isha is a cult, please read the comments on the very page you have linked. Upselling more expensive seats, claiming “my master” ought to charge one a lifetime’s income or “1 child” to listen to his words.
This is what people like Sadhguru do, but at massive scale. He is a classic cult leader, a more sophisticated Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh catering to a more sophisticated and English-speaking audience. Organisations like his Isha are non-profit for tax benefits as they don't end up paying income taxes and donations to them are tax-deductible almost worldwide. And of course they are massive vote banks which is why they are protected by politicians.
I don't have a problem with non-western beliefs. I've had a daily meditation practice for years, currently at least an hour everyday. But it's just psychological exercise. Nobody should have to pay $400 to Sadhguru's rebranding of these public domain practices, even if Sadhguru exclaims it is not for profit as he rides into the sunset on his BMW motorcycle or private jet.