Proposed BK "Cult" Television Documentary

Am I the only one to smile at the significance of the name of the company ... "Monkey Kingdom"!?!

Where is Hanuman when we need him ... this must surely be a "sign". May be they are coming to rescue we Sitas!

I do not know why folks get such a hump about being called cult members. Doesn't being "a member of a cult" make you more interesting than merely being an grey civil servant, a corner shop owners or lowly school teacher (aka BK educationalist!) ... given the choice I would much prefer to be a member of a secret cult.

Indeed, I was! Let's be out and proud about it ... let me be the first member of the Cult Liberation Front.

I have watched a particular "cult" documentary from the 80's which actually includes interviews with somone from the Brahma Kumaris;

Gods Of The New Age - Hinduism - Origin Of New Age Cults (1984).

You may view it online, link above.

I would assume this new documentary will follow the same lead to some extent. They are pretty plain in their intentions to steer people back to Christianity.

Oops ... ah, now i know how to work this thing.

Hi, I am new to forum though have had 20 years experience with BKs. Very close experience might i add. And I have something to contribute to the discussion.

I have found this forum to be overall positive and would wish only to help clear up some of the damage done to people over the years due to immature humans who mean well but are some what misled by a few. I am also a true believer in the beauty and love of god. Not a institution that needs to be more accountable and take responsibility for those who take up the life.

I was 18 when i joined and have grown up in and around the BKs and i say to others tread carefully and be real about the choices you make after much thought. You will be hearing more from me. A positive, and i hope often humourous, account of my time over the last 20 years.

All the best and God bless.

ex-l, i think people get in a tizz because the word cult is related to occult and they relate that to satanic things they have seen off tv ... most people wouldn't even know what occult means if you asked them.

The word occult comes from Latin occultus (hidden), referring to the 'knowledge of the secret' or 'knowledge of the hidden' and often meaning 'knowledge of the supernatural', as opposed to 'knowledge of the visible' or 'knowledge of the measurable', usually referred to as science ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occult

oops ..ah now I know how to work this thing.Hi im new to forum though have had 20 years experience with BK's.very close experience might I add.And have something to contribute to the discussion.

Hi Heshe,

Welcome to the forum from another longtime veteran of the Shiv Shakti Pandava Army! I look forward to hearing more from you.

Welcome to the forum heshe .

Mmm, I am really appreciating that people are not quick to jump at a chance to have a "quick win" and are considering whether this offer is a wolf in sheeps clothing. But I agree it would be a good thing to find out more information, unless you've scared Bekyl away with your honesty!!

I tend to go with John and say that they have made up their minds. "Cult" is a bad word and bad for us and our children, while TV is great and cannot do any harm. Are there any positive programmes about cults on TV? I doubt it.

Quite frankly, if you are cutting it in this world, as Monkey appear to be, then I would shoot first and ask the questions later, though I suspect most of these types are already dead anyway. In fact, people who can "die alive" can do very well in cults you know, though not always.

When TV starts addressing the real problems, such as poverty, sorry, POVERTY!, then perhaps I will listen to them. So, is this programme out of "devil may care" or genuine concern? Why are many, many living in poverty in very wealthy countries? Who are these people who perpetrate such evil ... and pull Channel 4 and BBC strings no doubt?

There was a film released recently (taking liberties?) which ch4 and BBC refused to show. Have yet to see it. Anything you may want to say could end up on the cutting room floor by a 'programmed' editor.

Ah, come on, what's a little bit of poverty among friends and family while a few are rolling in it. Quite a lot actually. An awful lot even. Still, let's blame the cults. It makes a change from blaming the students ... umm.

Well, it is nice to hear and see that honesty is not a lonely word : . Now where to begin? I will try to stay on topic and not offend anyone .

Is most of this honesty coming out of london? I spent a year in London in the Brother's house. Can i say that being an ozzie, i was outcast and felt more warmth from the people i worked with than Co-op House. Are things changing there or is it still a little chilly?

Best head off to another topic or start a new one to introduce yourself, heshe. This one is about this proposed TV documentary.

unless you've scared Bekyl away with your honesty!!

Yes, is Bekyl a Jekyll or a Hyde ... (is Bekyl a Jekyll or should we hide).

the truth is that the media, and especially TV, DOES generally have a fairly narrow set of "models" and an even tighter schedule, or cyclic set of seasons that it has to fit in with. TV produtions companies and channels are generally, but not exclusively, there to make money one way or another to exist.

The problem is Sparkal, that despite however well intended any TV producer is, they can only afford, say, one programme on poverty and one programme on cults every season ... and if anyone else has done one, then it is bumped over into the next season. It is not the production company's fault, it is the programmers at the big channels that are at fault and determine what the schedules will be.

Strangely though, TV channel programmers can manage to fit in 100s of prgrammes on sex, football and ice hockey ... because those pull in the advertising that pay the electricity bills where God, or even poverty and starvation does not. Who is going to buy advertising during a programme on world hunger ... BK Brian Bacon and BK supporter Lynne Franks's clients McDonalds? I think the BKWSU is pretty safe from constructive criticism because they are not big enough yet and are good at controlling the media and flying under the radar. Unlike Scientology, the Moonies and others.

But, if you add it all up, there is a fantastic documentary to make about the BKWSU now that the history and controversies are starting to unpeel at the same time as its leadership are reaching the top of the slippery pole of the media and politics.

Whether this proposed production could afford to go into their depth, or whether the public or any TV channel would be interest enough in producing such a documentary, I am not sure yet. Is the BKWSU truly that notable yet?

For me, my greatest sadness is that the BKWSU could not produce such a documentary itself and instead squanders its followers donations on PR, publicity and reinforcing falacies.

Perhaps one day some BKs will mature enough to do so. Otherwise I think that the BKWSU is MUCH more likely to hang itself on its own shortcoming and deserves any populist "whacky cult" accusations throwns its way. Om Mandli DID become a Lekhraj Kirpalani cult. We have shown that. And the BKWSU HAS become a Trimurti Dadi worshipping cult with all sorts of shadows lurking and skeletons in the cupboard.

Folks should also bear in mind that for every 1,000 programmes proposed, only 4 or 5 will actually get made. So they should not burn out their goodwill because TV production companies run on other's free fuel ... just because they get to be on the telly after. A BK "Big-Brother"-does-Cults type reality show would be fun though. Stick 20 male and female BKs in a box and film then 24/7 ... see if they crack.

Has any one looked at the Monkey Kingdom website? Not exactly "Panarama", boys and girls ... and even they usually have their "angle" that they want to prove.

That mental health programme looks like Big Brother for OCDs, based more on the desire of the public to gawk at a freak show than a genuine desire to help ... sensitivity and lack of bias are not evident here ...

Folks should also bear in mind that for every 1,000 programmes proposed, only 4 or 5 will actually get made. So they should not burn out their goodwill because TV production companies run on other's free fuel ... just because they get to be on the telly after. A BK "Big-Brother"-does-Cults type reality show would be fun though. Stick 20 male and female BKs in a box and film then 24/7 ... see if they crack.

... I volunteer for the BKBB house but not for the documentary.

... I volunteer for the BKBB house but not for the documentary.

I wonder how interesting a 30 Day Bhatti would be to televise ... not a lot unless we stick ALL the Seniors in there at once and wait until we see which one cracks first. The farting would be about the only interesting thing to watch out for because the shower room certainly would not be ! I imagine they would have BKs queuing around the block to volunteer if it meant not having to go to work for a month.

Of course, if it was a BK Brothers' Big Brother we would all see who does not go to Amrit Vela at all, never mind nods off ... let me brew up a fake commentary for this. Actually, I genuinely think the BKWSU should really consider putting one on themselves but it would have to be a mixed Brothers and Sisters House just so that we could have some really good Maya to test ... and then introduce some "Shudras" just to spice things up.

desire of the public to gawk at a freak show than a genuine desire to help

A freakshow gawking at another freakshow? Right out of 18th Century Mental Health Institutions. Someone pass me the remote controller ... I want to watch something with a car chase, a lesbian sex scene and a big explosion at the end.

schadenfreude: [shahd-n-froi-duh] –noun. Satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune. [Origin: 1890–95; < G, equiv. to Schaden harm + Freude joy]

[...]Someone pass me the remote controller ... I want to watch something with a car chase, a lesbian sex scene and a big explosion at the end.

Boom, boom, crash, ooohhmigod!! ... BOOOM!!!

Is most of this honesty coming out of london?

Welcome to the forum, heshe. For newcomers, it is worth going into the poll forum (Polls) and casting a vote in the various poll. Gives a general consensus of all the rabble here.

Regarding where people are from have a look at this poll: Which zone do you belong to?

Enjoy.

Bansy