50. A momentary sidebar

In June 2008, for reasons that as yet remain unclear, a gentleman who spent many of his formative years at the Fountain created a website (http://www.krishna-venta.com/) which purports to be the “Official Website of the W.K.F.L. Fountain of the World.” (This claim has been challenged by all of the surviving members of the Fountain whom I have interviewed for my book.)

Additionally, around this same time, this gentleman self-published two books which feature Krishna Venta prominently:

1. If Republicans Had Hearts, They’d Be Democrats - http://www.krishna-venta.com/Book_1.pdf; and

2. The Spiritual Teachings and Biography of Krishna Venta - http://www.krishna-venta.com/Book_2.pdf

Of the first book (If Republicans), I will say only that none of the former Fountain of the World members whom I have interviewed have any clue as to what Krishna Venta has to do with Republicans or Democrats. And I join them in that sentiment.

As for the second book (Spiritual Teachings), the first part of the title is true in the sense that it does offer some of the spiritual teachings of Krishna Venta (i.e., it contains transcriptions of a handful of the 60-something lectures Krishna Venta delivered in his lifetime). However, the word “biography” in the title is a misnomer.

As an historian, I have so many problems with this author’s books that I have neither the time nor the space to address all of them in this forum. I will say, though, that my biggest problem with these books is that, without offering any substantiation at all, the author adopts an “It is so because I say it is” approach in both of them. As a politician once said, "You're entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts."

And I will not even touch the fact that the members of the Fountain are angered at the fact that this person posted many items at the aforementioned website without their authorization.

I will offer, however, that I am thankful to this gentleman for creating his website and self-publishing these books in one respect: given that they take exception to virtually everything the man says in regard to Krishna Venta, I do not think that the members of the Fountain of the World with whom I have been working would have shared with me their memories or their documents to the extent that they have had it not been for this man’s actions.