Individuals struggling with guilt & anger call BKs a cult?

for ex-BKs to discuss matters related to experiences in BKWSU & after leaving.
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ex-l

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Individuals struggling with guilt & anger call BKs a cult?

Post03 Aug 2016

From a Brahma Kumaris PR site, "Writing the article I always wanted to read about the Brahma Kumaris - Kathy Shea, USA".

Apparently people only call the BKs a cult because we are "struggling with guilt, anger, and negative emotions". In other words, it's their fault.

I suppose this is an elder Western BK attempting to create a meme, or giving words, to junior BK to explain away doubts we are raising.

No, Katy. It's born out of exhaustion with the decades of amorality, dishonesty, manipulation that are the hallmarks of the Brahma Kumaris cult; and frustration with confronting a persistent army of delusional, brainwashed adherents belonging to that End of the World cult.

What is "authentic" about an End of the World cult which has widely falsified its history, which claims to have God himself speaking through its guru, which has made numerous failed predictions of the End of the World?
Katy o'Shea wrote:Some individuals write of their struggles with guilt, anger, and negative emotions that find expression in labeling the Brahma Kumaris a “cult.” This is how they have perceived the Brahma Kumaris at various times and in various places in the world. We cannot deny anyone’s experience. However, I find it equally important to acknowledge my own experience of the organization’s generosity, hospitality, and authenticity. For some, this path resonates; for others, it makes no sense at all. There is nothing in the Brahma Kumaris tradition that prohibits anyone from leaving at any time.

Arguably, it's also an accurate terminology. The BKs are not a sect of an orthodox religion. They are not yet/quite an established religion. They are very much based around personalities. And we have done a breakdown against Robert Jay Lifton's "Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism" and it matches pretty damned well.

Note the disingenuous excuse they have been rolling for decades ... "There is nothing in the Brahma Kumaris tradition that prohibits anyone from leaving at any time" "You can leave any time".

Well, yes and no. The hypnotic indoctrination goes in deep.

As for, in her opinion, “using everything in a worthwhile way” being a hallmark of BK operations.

Would you say that it true?

Define "worthwhile" and substantiate what the BKs are doing as that.
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ex-l

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Re: Individuals struggling with guilt & anger call BKs a cul

Post04 Aug 2016

One thing I notice is that the BK often use 'extra added value' words like "generosity, hospitality, and authenticity" but rarely actually define what they mean by them.

Authenticity we have to discard straight away but "generous" ... to whom and how much, "hospital" ... again, to whom and under what conditions?
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Pink Panther

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Re: Individuals struggling with guilt & anger call BKs a cul

Post05 Aug 2016

Had a read - a website of BKs for BKs. Headline ”Cheersquad Cheers For Itself”

That the author does not trouble herself to seek out and talk to those she is labelling and stereotyping shows her motivation is confirmational bias. It displays a poverty of philosophical integrity and a lack of respect for those maligned, who have been there and done that (BK Life) then made alternative choices, and in many cases have publicly stated their reasons (i.e. she’s not even done a lazy copy/paste of any quote or misquote from anyone from any source).

To not even bother to begin with comparing the various definitions of 'cult' to see if there is any truth to the ”perception” shows paucity of honesty if not intellect.
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ex-l

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Re: Individuals struggling with guilt & anger call BKs a cul

Post05 Aug 2016

Looking at it closely, it gets worse ... but I suppose that is only my "guilt and anger" talking?
The not-so-secret-agenda of the Brahma Kumaris is to offer people the opportunity to experience their own inner worth and dignity ...

Well, no ... that's a bit of a distraction from the actually "secret agenda", i.e. God has come, Destruction, Golden Age etc.

Are the Brahma Kumaris offering people the opportunity to experience "their own inner worth and dignity" (whatever that might be) or is it not only "inner worth and dignity" if one excepts BK terms? Or is "inner worth and dignity" a new way of saying what they used to call "soul consciousness" and "royalty"?
The secret ingredient is Yoga power, i.e. the power of meditation. Twenty years ago, that would have sounded peculiar to the average person. But now, there is a growing body of research and evidence to support the power of meditation to effect changes in one’s outlook, attitude, and energy. When thousands of BKs are aligned – for example on the 3rd Sunday of each month for World Peace Meditation – the results can be quite powerful

Is it?

Where is the science?

Any science supporting BKism? Is BK meditation the same as or as efficious as other forms of meditation which have been researched? Is that not making claims on apples for science done on oranges? Not very scientific, Katy.

"20 years ago" is 1996 ... what happened to the New Agey 70s, the hippie 1960s, the great waves of Spiritism and Spiritualism that reach far greater quantities of the populations in the 19th Centure. I don't remember the 1990s are being particularly "spiritual".
In 1936, when the founder turned over his wealth to a Trust in the hands young women, this was unheard of in India.

Well, we've answered this one before. Yes, India did and, no, God Lekhraj Kirpalani was only acting out of a canny self-interest, aiming to avoid being sued by the husbands of the wives he was abducting.
What is offered is an ancient wisdom ...

No it's not. It only dates back to around 1955 when God Shiva was introduced. How many times do we have to point this out. The BKs are not teaching "ancient" Raja Yoga.

And how does this borrow homily translate into BKism?
Ultimately, in knowing ourselves, we can know God.

What this means to a BK is entirely different to what anyone else, including the original vedantists who coined it, thinks.

I find that deliberately and typically disenguous.
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ex-l

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Re: Individuals struggling with guilt & anger call BKs a cul

Post06 Aug 2016

For example in India, kitchens are considered sacred spaces. The Brahma Kumaris headquarters in Rajasthan has the largest solar kitchen / sacred space in the world, where upwards of 25,000 people can be fed three meals per day.
Yes, that kitchen IS in fact the largest in the world and it also happens to be solar powered mostly (not just the largest solar kitchen but kitchen kitchen)

Oh, everything has to be a boast for the BKs ... the biggest, the richest, the purest, global, the supreme. "Good enough" or modesty just is not good enough for them.

Actually, the Abu kitchen is not. Not by a long way.

Possibly, the "World’s Largest Free Kitchen" is inside the Sikh's Golden Temple which feeds 100,000 a day. See also, here.

Mind you, "holy" or not ... it makes me wonder who cleans up the 100,000 poops a day afterwards?

Apparently India has a league table of big kitchens. "Is biggest next to godliness"?
    • The Sri Sai Sansthan Prasadalaya in Shirdi, Maharashtra, the largest solar kitchens in India which fuels preparation of nearly 40,000 meals in a single day.

    • The Hare Krishna's ISCKON Foundation’s Akshaya Patra runs the world’s largest school lunch programme. It’s Mega-Kitchen in Hubli, Karnataka is designed to churn out 150,000 meals in less than 5 hours.

    • The Jagannath Temple at Puri, Odisha feeds 100,000 people on a festival day and about 25,000 on a normal day.
There are more. Not only more, but a TV series about them.

What is so "holy" about Indian kitchens anyway? Ask every Westerner who has been there ... and come down with some kind of food poisoning or dystentry!

Do they think India is the only place that thinks cooking is a religious endeavour? Do they really think India universally believes that?

"Pure" BK twaddle as usual.

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