Homosexuality: BKs Engaging in Online Attacks against LGBTQ?

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ex-l

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Homosexuality: BKs Engaging in Online Attacks against LGBTQ?

Post19 Oct 2016

Facing a backlash from within the BK community, Kathleen A. Shea, PhD uses the BK public relations website 'About Brahmakumaris' to accuse other Brahma Kumari adherents of hate propaganda or hate speech across the social media, ridiculing and attacking that ever expanding acronym ... the "LGBTQ" community.

LGBTQ standing for "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer".

In short, people who define themselves by liking to have sex, especially with people of the same gender, including people who have had their original genitals mutilated in order to enable them doing so.

(And, just for the record, what is the difference between "gay" and "queer"? For example, is "gay" man a nice homo who likes to just have sex with one other man in a steady relationship, and "queer" man is a homo who like to have weird sex with 5 strangers in a public toilet dressed in rubber?)

Now, please tell me why on earth the Brahma Kumaris - who have been stopping people from having sex for 80 years and portraying it as impure and spiritually damaging (literally "the sword of lust" and "worse than murder" - getting involved in the business of a community of people who have been fighting for the rights to have sex as their raison d'etre for just as so long?

Indeed, lots of sex.

Lots of really dirty, kinky sex too ...

Perhaps, just like Queen Victoria who allegedly refused to pass legislation against women who enjoyed sex with other women because she did not believe it existed, the Brahma Kumaris cannot bring themselves to imagine what it homosexuality is really all about.

In defence of the BKWSU latest public relationships programme, Seeing is Believing, Ms. Shea proclaims that some of the statements being circulated and shared via social media by BK "violate the spiritual principles of the organization" ... whatever they might be.

Personally, I do not think the organization has any anyway, and certain no ethics, so what's the problem?

Indeed, I don't think the BKs even make it to "organization" status. It's just a loose cult of lost souls, the damaged, and weirdos herded together by control freaks.

One of which Ms Shea would appear to be exposing herself as.

So what is all this about?

For once, I am not at the cutting edge of BK criticism! I must be becoming soft in my old age. Ha ha.

My guess is the "Liberal Wing" of the BKWSU in somewhere like the West Coast of USA, where homosexuality is big business and big politics, has started an service programme to appeal to Pink Dollar and wants to pose the cult as being far more liberal, right on and politically correct than it really is ... and has then been pulled up by the more conservative, reactionary and - dare I say - strictly spiritual elements of the movement.

As in, those who embrace the virtues of celibacy, rather than each other.

The other big poop poop she drops is that it
violates the principle of spirituality equality which is the foundation of all we do.

Since when were the BKs or the BK philosophy based on "spirituality equality"!?!

It's system is one of the most rigidly hierarchical and eternally fixed inequalities caste systems of all religions.

I read BK Kathleen's missive, more of a desperate appeal to other BKs not to screw up the latest Public Relations campaign. I must go root out some of the comments. If anyone knows anything about this, please let me know.

Now the interesting thing is, as usual, the BKs actually avoid any serious discussions about the spiritual effects and relative position of homosexuality to heterosexuality. In the rush of a few Western BKs to appear more "politically correct", to evangelise to the queer nation, sell them some books and DVDs and perhaps convert a few to BKism, are they not deeply contradicting their own true values?

As is it all not just about a few over privileged Westerners? I mean, are BK India doing anything about the status of gay or transgender Indians? Are they officially going to stand up for the rights of lesbians?

Or are they only going to stand up for the right of Indian lesbians to become celibate slaves to their femdom leadership!?!

Strictly speaking, in the hierarchy of "spiritually uplifting" and "spiritually degrading" activities ... where exactly does homosexuality stand or lie?

For example, is it more or less degrading than heterosexuality, and if it is more degrading than heterosexuality (which is the classic position), by a factor of how much?

Shouldn't the BK message to Gay Times simple be how bad all sex is, and how they should all stop it immediately and become celibate? From a BK point of view, is it right to help people who base their identity on their sexual activity feel better about that? Wouldn't that be helping to hurt themselves spirituality?

Therefore, aren't those BKs who are criticising her Public Relationship campaign quite right to do so ... she being a corrupting of their religion?

I tend not to agree with Kathleen when she says that, "when one person or group of people is attacked, it hurts everyone and amplifies the downward spiral of fear, anger and hate". Whereas I am not really concerned with what sexual activity someone else has in the privacy of their own homes, one thing I dislike about gay politics is the manipulativeness that any questioning, criticism or obstruction to it is portrayed as "fearful" or hateful, as in "homophobia" and her she, as a BK, is playing the same game.

Why not have a real discussion about homosexuality from a spiritual point of view and say it how it is, instead of publicly contort yourself and pandering to a consumer market, and attempting to manipulate others to this weeks politically correct facade?

They can even invoke their great god spirit BapDada to definitively pronounce upon the subject ... will there be gay deities in Heaven?

Or is the BK world view really still not just one of,
    "Sat Yuga ... no Poofters*".
BK Kathleen A. Shea wrote:From the Inside Out

BK Sustenance Initiative “SEEING INTO BEING” Kathleen A. Shea, Ph.D.
September 15, 2016

Over the past several years, the Brahma Kumaris sustenance team launched a number of special initiatives intended to support BKs in their spiritual understanding, personal growth, and daily practice. The most recent initiative “Seeing into Being” that began on September 1, 2016 is both the most well received – and the most criticized – of these initiatives.

Why was this initiative created? Current world affairs demonstrate the need for a clear, strong vision for the future. Even though much of the post-modern world indulges in an internal dialogue of cynicism, Brahma Kumaris believe that most people really do crave a beautiful new world. All individuals and groups are conditioned by their internal dialogue. So, the questions posed by this initiative are: “What kind of internal perceptions and dialogues maximize human potential? Can our image of the future be self-fulfilling?”

“Seeing into Being” features professionally-conducted interviews with senior BK teachers from around the globe who offer their personal reflections and insights on a “Golden Age” of peace and harmony. Interviewees are providing rich descriptions of their personal experiences in meditation or particular encounters over many years of practicing Raja Yoga.

Both the interviewer and interviewees have stated that these reflections are personal experiences and should be taken as such. The statements made by the interviewer or interviewees are intended to encourage and inspire BKs to engage in personal reflections on this topic, and are not official statements by the Brahma Kumaris organization.

While many positive comments have been received about this initiative, there has been a concerted effort by some BKs to use this initiative for contrary purposes. Comments on websites and social media have crossed the line by engaging in personal attacks against the interviewer, some interviewees, and the LGBTQ community in general. These comments do not reflect the respectful relationships we seek to share with all people. When one person or group of people is attacked, it hurts everyone and amplifies the downward spiral of fear, anger and hate.

This is a huge mistake and violates the spiritual principles of the organization.

Some of the statements being circulated and shared via social media may rise to the level of hate propaganda or hate speech by ridiculing and attacking an identifiable group of individuals. In many countries, including the UK, USA and Canada, this is illegal and would be the basis for criminal prosecution.

“Seeing into Being” is exactly what BK students have given their lives to: creating an upward spiral, a dynamic, creative approach to envisioning a radically different world from the one in which we are living today. As this initiative unfolds, the Brahma Kumaris invites public participation to individually and collectively activate those aspects of a new world that everyone desires: a world with peace, purity, happiness, love, and harmony.

BK students have clear rights to comment and criticize actions taken by the organization; many have made their voices heard over the years. However, to use this initiative as a platform to humiliate any individual or ridicule any particular group, violates the principle of spirituality equality which is the foundation of all we do. We urge everyone to use social media in a positive and productive way.

* FYI, "No Poofters" refers to a classic satirical sketch performed by the Monty Python team making fun of hyper-masculine heterosexual societies and not poofters themselves. One of the Python team being a poofter himself.

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ex-l

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Re: Homosexuality: BKs Engaging in Online Attacks against LG

Post19 Oct 2016

I have not found any of the "hate comments" she speaks of, but it seems they paid to have a trendy animation to publicise this global "service programme".

It seems 'Seeing Into Being' is their new Living Values.

Anyone care to critique the science ...



The service programme has its own Facebook page, here. I see the BKs have finally disclosed how the Golden Age is going to be built in time for 2036 ... by their Baba's magic!
In future you will have vimans (planes) in and around your palaces. You won't have to depend on a pilot. Even in your childhood you will be able to fly them easily. Even a small child will press the button and will set off flying. No accident can occur. Your planes are being made. You only have to become every-ready. Heaven is ready. Your palaces and planes can be ready in the twinkling of an eye on the orders of Vishwakarma, that is, the Supreme Engineer. Heaven is your destiny of divine magic.
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Re: Homosexuality: BKs Engaging in Online Attacks against LG

Post19 Oct 2016

Ha.

Mystery solved ... perhaps.

It would appear Kathleen and the 'About Brahma Kumaris' team is having a cat swipe at one of our favourite BKs, a long time and extensive funder of the movement in India and Australia ...

Nothing other than Robin Ramsay and the 'More About Brahma Kumaris' website who has written an article on "Golden Gaytime" ... IS LIFE IN THE Golden Age AS FUN AS THE MARDI GRAS?.

And in doing so, portrayed herself as a humourless, political correct, control freak too ... as "Golden Gaytime" is cultural reference to perfectly innocent and "ancient" Australian tradition ... an icecream snack beloved of children since the 1950s.

"It's hard to have a Gaytime on your own" ... quite!

The public spat between senior Western BKs? ... I cannot comment. I'll leave it for the BKs to fight it out themselves but humour never really was their strong point, and irony is certainly not a "royal" sanskar (especially for those who don't understand it.

It seems to boil down to BKWSU's decision that knowing the secret of "how to put on golden eye shadow with blinking" is one of the most important pertinent issues for the world today.

It's a shame really, "gay" just used to mean light-hearted, carefree and colorful before, as a word, it was perverted.

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Dear Robin –

I have found the statements you posted on this site about “Seeing into Being” and Brother Eric to be antithetical to everything Dadi Prakashmani and the Brahma Kumaris stand for.

How could you present this material as a dedication to Dadiji? How can you ridicule Brother Eric and the entire LGBTQ community and imagine people would think this is funny?

As you move from issue to issue ... whether you are advocating for veganism, against homosexuality, or attempting to negate the lived experience of so many BKs, I believe that this time you have gone beyond what can be deemed acceptable and I will not be silent any longer. Please remove these offensive postings and use your platform in a more respectful way.

BK Kathy Shea

To which 'More About Brahma Kumaris' replies ...

    Dear Kathy,

    Greetings.Thank you for posting. Dadi Prakashmani I knew well…and indeed toured to various places with her : I would perform my Tagore show and she would then give a talk ( similarly with Dadi Janki back in the days). I don’t think you were around in her heyday to witness her particular magic, referenced by Sister Denise in the series++Golden Age:DENISE!.

    As for ridiculing the ‘entire LGBTQ community’ (and you might like to use the more inclusive acronym LGBTQIA+) ... WHOA!

    According to BK philosophy, Golden Age is for humans who are in their highest state of consciousness, thanks to exclusive Godly guidance, now available. However, as far as I am aware, the application of Golden Eye Makeup has not been mentioned by The One True God of all Religions, in His detailing of Golden Age culture, as an attribute of humans in their highest state of consciousness.

    I note on your FB page you complain about ‘anti intellectualism in America’. Alas, this is home ground to BKWSU/O culture: epitomised by Divine Brother Eric’s coy remark about Golden Eye Makeup: a creative practise so appropriate to the celebration of Mardi Gras. And our dear friends at the Radical Faeries community nearby, also pursue this artistic foible at their fabulous retreat parties.

    Would that there had been more intellectual depth in the 'Seeing into Being' series : though I admit to only being half way through. I am pleased that you are moved to ‘speak out' though.

    I wonder could you bring your passion in ‘speaking out' to correcting the serious historical revisionism and denial in BK, the censoring of Godly Murlis, and the consumption at BK centres and offering to God of food produced at monstrous cost in cruelty to animals and the environment, and the good health and awareness of BKs.

    I would further urge you to bring your admirable passion to transforming your local BK centre into the first truly compassionate, cruelty free BK centre in the USA!

    Love from Robin.

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Re: Homosexuality: BKs Engaging in Online Attacks against LG

Post20 Oct 2016

The BKs maintain a missionary position on homosexuality - and all other sexuality for that matter. They proselytise and convert, then admonish all to celibacy equally. I remember any questions or discussions on queer sexuality always came back to celibacy.

But the assumption of hetero-normality was dominant, making a joke of the artifice that kept male & female separate in classes and accommodation to reduce the possibility of ‘temptation’ and touch. I remember a (haha) funny talk with a guy who was from South Africa and very gay who told me how he lived alone at home but how he struggled living in the all-male dorm in Madhuban.

As for political correctness and Kathleen - its another case of not being consistent in applying personal values and principles. So many BKs get on one or other hobby horse about an aspect of the BKWSU they disagree with, talking about justice, fairness or whatever, failing to see that the whole belief system and cult-ure does not stand up if principals of ethics, fairness, justice and logic are rigorously applied.

BTW you now have to add more letters to LGBTQ - there’s now also I (Intersex) and F (fluid).
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Re: Homosexuality: BKs Engaging in Online Attacks against LG

Post20 Oct 2016

So do the BKs have an official explanation for homosexuality, e.g. the old "female soul 'mistakenly' incarnated in male body"?

It's a shame, from her Facebook page, it looks like Kathy could have really made a difference if she had only applied herself to something worthwhile.

Good heavens, she actually expresses a political opinion ... and not leaning to the Right like the BKWSU usually does.

https://www.facebook.com/kathy.shea.77

Meanwhile, I've been working on some marketing for the BKs ... How on earth do they sell an ice cream call Golden Gaytime in Australia?

Robin offers a vegan cake recipe with it.

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Re: Homosexuality: BKs Engaging in Online Attacks against LG

Post21 Oct 2016

Don’t buy ice cream often, maybe once or twice a year, but Gaytime is a really nice one. Used to be my #1 until Weiss's Mango Bar came along! (mmmmm, mango Weiss bar, droool ...).

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As you’ve noted elsewhere ex-l, Western BKs, if they have any political awareness do tend to be left of centre, yet somehow they manage square away any social democratic principles they may hold with the BK hierarchical structure and its aristocratic monarchical ideal, the divine right of kings and all that.

I see such cognitive dissonance as the consequence of dualistic thinking which leads to all kinds of psychological splits and compartmentalising.

If I think of myself as separate from my present, wholistic reality, i.e. everything else is transient except ”I” the notional soul who ”am" immortal, then I can apply different principles and values according to the situation (hypocrisy?) if I believe the ”I” that I am cultivating, the notional immortal me, benefits. The rest doesn't matter, doesn't require the same rigour or integrity - except when ”I" believe it does (which is when it serves me!).

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