Here in Africa the Traditional Healers /Sangomas / Spiritual Doctors (who all do their work through trance channeling their 'ancestor spirits'), have a huge influence on the social structures of their people. They are often seen to be more powerful than the political leaders and so legal social policy is often created around their belief systems causing some conflict with other more European influences and beliefs. A unique process probably but not limited to this continent.
Basically, the most powerful and most dramatic channeler would be more believable and therefore have more influence on the social structures of his/her people. So therefore we can say that the Spirits channeling through their mediums certainly creates a social identity ... and the people follow even if they don't understand it ... but they pay what they have to to keep it all going ...
No males ... no non-Indians ... all female virgins sacrificed as vehicles to the male spirit gods?
Would it not be an awesome paradox if some European (or non-Indian) medium started to channel the Bap/Dada experience?
Hmmm, thinking about it, it may be time I went up into the big white light and started sending taped recordings to BKWSU HQ (via via this forum) ... a WHITEY Chariot - now that would be something eh? - oh, yeah I forgot, I don't speak Hindi so "GOD" cannot speak through me. Oh well, there must be a Zulu Ancestor hanging around somewhere! :|