Our invaluable H-town correspondent technophobicgeek alerts us on the News tab to a Houston Press exposé on K. A. Paul, my favorite Indian religious huckster of the moment. Brother Paul, né Anand Kilari or by some accounts Kilari Anand, was blogged here not too long ago, and I see a lot of you have checked out the article, so I’ll limit the priceless quotes to this one, on how Paul’s church conned a pro-Israel group (“Friends of the Israel Defense Forces,” yikes) out of $850,000 which it used to repair the leader’s decrepit 747, Global Peace One:
In the e-mail to FIDF Chairman Larry Hochberg, Dodson [Paul’s factotum] writes: “Israel’s arrogance toward us stands in stark contrast to the 51 presidents who have attended our rallies or have come to meet Dr. Paul in other venues. A perfect example is Israel’s neighbor Ethiopia, whose 80 year old president, His Excellency President Girma, broke all rules of protocol to come to personally meet us at the airport with a red carpet welcome.” (According to one passenger on that voyage, it was Kilari who brought his own red carpet.)
Without the multi-entry visa, Dodson wrote, the Jewish group had three options: Get off in Poland and find its own way to Israel, fly with Kilari to Syria before going to Israel, or cancel outright. The group called the bluff and chose Door No. 3. Because the $850,000 was a “donation,” Global Peace Initiative refused to refund the money, which was sunk into the plane. Less than a month after Kilari stood up the Jewish group, the plane took a last-minute jaunt to Canada, where it confused officials at the tiny Thunder Bay, Ontario, airport, which hadn’t serviced a 747 in years. It sat there for about a week, at which point the Federal Aviation Administration deemed it unairworthy. Yet for some reason, the administration permitted Kilari to fly the plane to Tijuana, where it is now collecting dust in a vacant lot.
Classic stuff. OK, one more, from the Press‘s attempt to interview the holy man:
This is why he shouts, “You’re asking stupid questions!” and adds, “You write that story, boy, you write that story and you wait for the response…Benny Hinns and TD Jakes are becoming millionaires and billionaires, and you’re now talking to a village preacher, broke completely, can’t even pay his own salaries anymore, and doesn’t own a $100 property anywhere in the world–“
At which point we had to ask Kilari, “You don’t own a $100 property anywhere in the world, but you own a freaking 747?”
“No, I don’t own freaking 747, you idiot. I don’t own!”
“Who owns it?”
“It is the organization owns it, you chicken!”
Along with Liberian ex-dictator Charles Taylor, the Promise Keepers, the Governor of Arkansas (no, not that one), and the Southern Baptist Convention all figure in the story of Paul, who also appears to nurse a personal vendetta against Condoleeza Rice.
My own near-brush with Paul came in late 2003 when I was spending some time in Côte d’Ivoire, then hovering in a state of neither-war-nor-peace with rebels holding the north while a discredited president, Laurent Gbagbo, controlled the south. A former history teacher and professed socialist, Gbagbo had surrounded himself as president by various Christian mystics and self-proclaimed prophets, and was ruling in increasingly arbitrary fashion. Sniffing opportunity, K. A. Paul turned up during this time. The pro-government press presented him as one of the most important American men of God and one of Gbagbo’s chief spiritual advisers. Paul led a huge outdoor service in the sprawling Yopougon district of Abidjan, conferring his blessing on the President, who attended with the first lady and a large entourage.
I didn’t go in person, which I regret, not least because it would give this story a punchline. But the ubiquitous flyers and posters and, later, the endless state-television coverage made me wonder at the journey of this odd little guy from Andhra Pradesh, if not exactly at the glory of God.
Amazing!!! This guy was a buffoon in Andhra Pradesh. I happened to catch one of his sermons in India while I was in India just for laughs. Here was a telugu guy, who spoke english with a broken American accent and then somebody would translate it to telugu. It was just hilarious. But, I never imagined he would go on to( or already was) become this big shot with a broken plane touring the dark corners of the world. Must read the entire Houston press article on him.
Well, he did get a nice career outta it. Good for him. US needs to outsource more evangelism to india. There’s mucho bucks in it.
…channeling Saffron Balls (which seems to be in vogue these days)
Here is the most appropriate and excellent example of intra-Abrahamic treachery. India should be glad that it is rid of this pestilence. And now he corrupts the foundations of the non-Vedic religious movements in the first place. In fact, I heartily welcome this public flaying by the Houstonians. In what will be the most apt karmic twist of his evil existence, his books will be audited by Jewish accountants from New York and then he will have to repay his debts many times over.
I suspect that it is people like him that fund the endowments that pay for Wendy Doniger. Down with his wealth! Let the ledgers be stained red by the negative cash flows!
Hail Ernst&Young!
Wow – this guy makes Benny Hinn look like an amateur!
When you betray the Hindu tolerance, you get broken aeroplane.
Any American Confused Hindus tempted or influenced by Christians on PseudoSecular Mutiny take note.
Also, see his picture, how crafty he tries to steal a pretzel from the bowl? Eyes to the left, to distract stupid Abrahamic, as he steals pretzel. Not very tolerant. Crafty Abrahamic. If he had stayed Hindu, he would just take it straight, in accordance with Vedic system of balance, pretzels are not shameful in Indian culture. Before the mlecchas arrived from Pakistan 900 years ago and then Victorian British taught us to be ashamed of taking pretzel.
No Vedic Holy Man ever stole money.
Hail Mogambo!
ha ha. the crafty abrahamic goes down. one less threat to Bharata and its ancient civilization.
Hail the Da Vinci Code!
Ha ha ha!
We’re winning!
Hail
Broken AeroplaneMogambo!SpoorLam, you are doing a very good job of showing people the true nature of Hinduism. Keep your crusade going. Good Job Brother. Hail SpoorLam!
Spot on Ravi, this guy is really funny and sometimes irritating, I’ve saw him on TV several times. I am from Andhra Pradesh and there are rumours that Dr. Paul is worth any thing between 1000 to 2000 crore rupees. He is indeed one of the richest godman in India. One of my uncles moves closely with him(for political reasons) and told me that I could fly with Dr. Paul to India next time around. He seems to travel in and out of India quiet frequently(twice a month). There are hundreds if not thousands of dodgy christian missionaries in Andhra Pradesh, quite similar to Dr. Paul.
Dingo Dingu…
So… Fucked up Brother Paul = Fucked up Christ
Mmhmm, you all certainly are far more educated and civilized than the likes of Brother Paul.
Lots of heated arguments/name-calling on SM threads these days
har ke baat pe kehte ho tum ki “tu kya hai” tumhi kaho ke yeh andaaz-e-guftgoo kya hai ?
Do you need a translation ?
@ a more original name: Dude, it’s in jest. I hope you can see the flagrant parody.
@ brown_fob: Man, this is too beautiful to translate.
brown_fob I got the gist, but can you translate for me please?
I have seen a lot of similar guys (from different religions) back home, but for him to establish a base here…
This is sounds like the real life story of The Guru
SpoorLam parodys not Hinduism but Hindutva and the Saffron Brigade
There are even white American televangelists on Indian TV raising money in rupees. They’re hilarious. When I get a chance I’ll post a clip.
this converted moron has graduated from rice bowl to pretzel.
SOB. Just have to kick his butt..
DR K.A.PAUL had done many things to all the people and to the great leaders in AP But now they are irritating him and had stopped the PEACE TOURS throughout the world. He is providing food and shelter to lakhs of ORPHANS and WIDOWS around the world…
Kilari Anand Paul change yourself and become Kilari Anandpal and hindu.Wash away your sins in Ganga Haridwar and lead a simple life