I thought that this would be similar to other docuseries that portrayed criminals; the cult would be guilty of crimes and there would be no questions remaining, but I was wrong. The Bhagwan, the leader of the Rajneeshees, was a mysterious figure and no one seemed to understand him. His followers described his graceful and loving presence while his enemies described him as a con man.
What's clear is that that the Rajneesh community was a cult. A follower tried to state that it was not, but it clearly was. The irrational love for the Bhagwan, intoxicated mannerisms and the inability to wear other clothes besides their signature red are clear signs that the Rajneesh movement was a cult. However, I do not think that they had any ill intentions until there was conflict with local residents in Oregon.
The issue with introducing a foreign religion to an established city, like Antelope, with its own traditions poses issues. Catholics, Quakers, Christians and other religions have territories across the US and this was the goal of the Rajneesh movement and its followers (Sannyasins). They came to Oregon under false pretenses stating that they wanted a small community, but really they wanted to extend their influence throughout the US. Veiled threats from citizens of Antelope greatly increased tensions and both parties committed morally ambiguous choices.
Sheela was responsible for the conflict. She was the Bhagwan's assistant and acted as the spokesperson for the movement. When I watched, it was interesting to compare her past and present self. I detected a complete lack of empathy in her past interviews, but she did seem to have a little remorse or sadness in the present. The Bhagwan claims that she was responsible for every criminal act that occurred, but as leader of the commune in Oregon and of the movement how could he be unaware of her diabolical plans? This is where people have wildly different opinions.
Even I was questioning how much the Bhagwan was aware of what happened. The creative team clearly wants viewers to have these same questions and I was impressed. The interview selection was perfect. Prosecutors provided essential information, but nothing that really portrayed the Bhagwan as malevolent or particularly deceitful. Sheela seemed to be the perfect scapegoat if he was involved with any of the crimes. Something that irked me was how every single one of his followers still deeply love him. These grown men and women became childlike when they described him, it was unlike anything I have ever seen.
I loved the pacing of the series. As a viewer, I was annoyed that no one seemed to have the complete truth. There does not seem to be an unbiased participant of the events that can accurately share what happened. That's exactly why I feel that the content of Wild Wild Country is morally ambiguous. I recommend the series and I hope that this review was helpful.
What's clear is that that the Rajneesh community was a cult. A follower tried to state that it was not, but it clearly was. The irrational love for the Bhagwan, intoxicated mannerisms and the inability to wear other clothes besides their signature red are clear signs that the Rajneesh movement was a cult. However, I do not think that they had any ill intentions until there was conflict with local residents in Oregon.
The issue with introducing a foreign religion to an established city, like Antelope, with its own traditions poses issues. Catholics, Quakers, Christians and other religions have territories across the US and this was the goal of the Rajneesh movement and its followers (Sannyasins). They came to Oregon under false pretenses stating that they wanted a small community, but really they wanted to extend their influence throughout the US. Veiled threats from citizens of Antelope greatly increased tensions and both parties committed morally ambiguous choices.
Sheela was responsible for the conflict. She was the Bhagwan's assistant and acted as the spokesperson for the movement. When I watched, it was interesting to compare her past and present self. I detected a complete lack of empathy in her past interviews, but she did seem to have a little remorse or sadness in the present. The Bhagwan claims that she was responsible for every criminal act that occurred, but as leader of the commune in Oregon and of the movement how could he be unaware of her diabolical plans? This is where people have wildly different opinions.
Even I was questioning how much the Bhagwan was aware of what happened. The creative team clearly wants viewers to have these same questions and I was impressed. The interview selection was perfect. Prosecutors provided essential information, but nothing that really portrayed the Bhagwan as malevolent or particularly deceitful. Sheela seemed to be the perfect scapegoat if he was involved with any of the crimes. Something that irked me was how every single one of his followers still deeply love him. These grown men and women became childlike when they described him, it was unlike anything I have ever seen.
I loved the pacing of the series. As a viewer, I was annoyed that no one seemed to have the complete truth. There does not seem to be an unbiased participant of the events that can accurately share what happened. That's exactly why I feel that the content of Wild Wild Country is morally ambiguous. I recommend the series and I hope that this review was helpful.