And she didn’t tell you what was going?

She did not. And she exploited the situation, because she was the only source of communication between me and the sannyasins.

There was a case in court brought against you and your followers for improperly mixing church and state. So you must have known…

No.

…That your group was claiming church status.

I had no idea of anything because I was in isolation. So you have to understand it clearly, that when I came out of silence, then only I became aware of what has been happening in these three and a half years.

What does this announcement today do to your group for the future. What difference will it make?

It makes tremendous difference. First, there is no religion and there is no master, no disciple. I am only a friend. And those who love me are living with me.

Will this take away the tax-exempt status or your organization?

I don’t care.

As I understand it, it will cost you your tax-exempt status…

It will not. It will not. Because our activity is still religious. We are not religion, but our activity is religious. And there is no need for one being a part of an organized religion. One can be simply religious. The quality of being religious is totally free from any organizational structure. I am…