Hi.
Just wondered how many readers of this were suckered into thinking that they were "second birth BKs"?
That is to say, they were encouraged to believe that in their previous birth or reincarnation, that they were Indian and a former member of the Brahma Kumaris or Om Mandli ... that they, or you, had two lives as a BK adherent.
In my experience, this is common suggestion that dates back to the early days of expansion of Brahma Kumarism into the West in the 70s and 80s. It is still going on, an explanation given by the leadership to the leadership themselves of why young Westerners might join the BKWSU and, from memory, exists in the channelled psychic messages called the Murlis as well. Of course, it has no grounding in reality nor do the Brahma Kumaris really have such psychic powers to be able to accurately tell.
Young individuals have expressed their feelings of confusion about this. The burden as a child of being told they were a "Dada", an advanced elder member reincarnationed. Read the child abuse topic. Obviously, for other BKs it is a big ego trip increasing their feelings of superiority over non-BKs and other BKs. One could also see how, for the sect leaders it could also be a useful mental device, a spiritual "carrot", to control and increase commitment amongst such adherents.
Is anyone keeping an a count of how many individuals believe this now!?! I suspect it will now be many time the number of original Om Mandli or early BK members.
Just wondered how many readers of this were suckered into thinking that they were "second birth BKs"?
That is to say, they were encouraged to believe that in their previous birth or reincarnation, that they were Indian and a former member of the Brahma Kumaris or Om Mandli ... that they, or you, had two lives as a BK adherent.
In my experience, this is common suggestion that dates back to the early days of expansion of Brahma Kumarism into the West in the 70s and 80s. It is still going on, an explanation given by the leadership to the leadership themselves of why young Westerners might join the BKWSU and, from memory, exists in the channelled psychic messages called the Murlis as well. Of course, it has no grounding in reality nor do the Brahma Kumaris really have such psychic powers to be able to accurately tell.
Young individuals have expressed their feelings of confusion about this. The burden as a child of being told they were a "Dada", an advanced elder member reincarnationed. Read the child abuse topic. Obviously, for other BKs it is a big ego trip increasing their feelings of superiority over non-BKs and other BKs. One could also see how, for the sect leaders it could also be a useful mental device, a spiritual "carrot", to control and increase commitment amongst such adherents.
Is anyone keeping an a count of how many individuals believe this now!?! I suspect it will now be many time the number of original Om Mandli or early BK members.