Is Brahmakumaris.info an impartial website?

for measuring opinion on matters relating to their BKWSU experiences
Forum rules A forum specifically for polls on any topic relating to Brahma Kumaris. Anyone can vote here or discussion the poll. General conversion about the issues is best kept to the Commonroom.

Do you consider http://brahmakumaris.info to be impartial?

Yes, it is impartial.
11
31%
It is impartial as it is possible to be.
15
42%
It could be more impartial.
4
11%
No, it is not impartial at all.
6
17%
 
Total votes : 36

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sweetchill

BK

  • Posts: 52
  • Joined: 22 Nov 2006

Post04 Dec 2006

ex-l wrote:I am worried becaue if you are not a pukka BK, then I don't want you showing them up even more.

As I have said before, I speak as an individual - not as an official representative of the BKs. It's very interesting to see how peeved a number of you seem to get with me for appearing condescending, "holier than thou" or sarcastic. This is exactly the same attitude that most of you portray in nearly every one of your posts about the BKs.
I would suggest the BKs have leant too far one way and these reactions are a counter balance the other way.

You know, I would have no problem if this website was open enough to just say it was set up as a counter-balance to what the BKs say - even that would show a shred of integrity, compared to ridiculous insistence by this site's authors and posters like you that this place is impartial.
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Post04 Dec 2006

sweetchill wrote:You know, I would have no problem if this website was open enough to just say it was set up as a counter-balance to what the BKs say - even that would show a shread of integrity, compared to ridiculous insistence by this site's authors and posters like you that this place is impartial.

Well, that is progress ...

For me, impartiality is an intention. You cannot have an absolute in an imperfect world ... and we agree this world, or the BKWSU organization, is imperfect.

Come the final destination, I hoped to be entirely impartial. A perfect human being does not belong to one football supporters club or another; be it BK, PBK, ex-BK, Hindu or whatever.

Why cannot you answer any of my questions?
User avatar

sweetchill

BK

  • Posts: 52
  • Joined: 22 Nov 2006

Post04 Dec 2006

For me, impartiality is demonstrated by what you actually do - your actions. It is not about intention at all.

This site is trying to deceive people who visit it by trying to pass itself off as an impartial organ of news and debate.

This is despite the fact that it posts clearly biased "articles" in its news section and declares its "intention" to put up examples of apparent BK media censorship. And despite the fact that vast majority of the posters commenting on the BKs on the site are non-bks themselves (and many with an axe to grind at that).

As you agree I have made "progress" by accepting I would have no problem if this site said it was a counter to the BKs - do you think this site's authors would make similar "progress" and make that clear on the site's front page?

I thought not.
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Post05 Dec 2006

sweetchill wrote:This is despite the fact that it posts clearly biased "articles" in its news section and declares its "intention" to put up examples of apparent BK media censorship.

Again, can you be specific to what you refer and perhaps offer an alternative? There are pages of articles. Looking at the top, they would seem factually correct to me.
    • So, specifically, which facts are incorrect?
    • Or do you just think that, generally, such matters ought not be discussed in pubic?
Let us watch you ignore my questions yet again ...

I thought about it and I realised why I am interested in discussion this issue. It is because it is about darna and darna is/was my favourite subject.

bansy

  • Posts: 1593
  • Joined: 30 Apr 2006

Post05 Dec 2006

All, have you caste your vote ?

I see that currently in the poll, there is no-one who says that they think this site is impartial.

So I guess that means members who are in this forum, BKs PBKs ex-BKs, who have been given this choice to poll, feel this site is impartial or as impartial as it can possibly be.

And those who do not poll have accepted that this site is impartial or as impartial as it can possibly be.
User avatar

arjun

PBK

  • Posts: 3588
  • Joined: 01 May 2006
  • Location: India

Post05 Dec 2006

sweetchill wrote:vast majority of the posters commenting on the BKs on the site are non-BKs themselves (and many with an axe to grind at that).

Dear Brother,

Omshanti. I wish to disagree with you on this aspect. Most of the members are either Ex-BKs or PBKs. Non-BKs hardly post on this site/forum. And if you believe in the words of ShivBaba, once a soul becomes a BK he/she remains a BK forever, even if he/she leaves the path of knowledge, because Baba says that the seed of knowledge remains merged in the soul even if he/she parts ways with the BKs. But here everyone is discussing knowledge. So how can you call them as non-BKs?

If you see the Aussie BK forum you would hardly find any worthwhile topic of discussion. Even the posts displayed are a few months or years old. Do you call such souls who just say 'Hi' or 'Hello' as BKs or who discuss the actual knowledge as BKs? Those who tried to put up worthwhile questions on that forum were promptly banned by Administrators of the site. The same was the case with the forum on the BK site http://www.peopleofspirit.com or http://www.RajYoga.in. First the PBKs were banned from that site and then the forum itself became invisible to the general public. Only members were allowed to view the site. Is that spirituality or impartiality which the BKs are supposed to display or which you expect from the members of this site?

I remember that very recently a member of this site inadvertantly described the BK family as 'monstrous' and was requested by another member (not a BK in your definition) not to use such words for the entire BK family and the concerned member was mature/gentle enough to tender an apology. What more impartiality or maturity do you expect from the members of this site?

Regards,
OGS,
Arjun
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Post05 Dec 2006

arjun wrote:First the PBKs were banned from that site and then the forum itself became invisible to the general public. Only members were allowed to view the site. Is that spirituality or impartiality which the BKs are supposed to display or which you expect from the members of this site?

Not to mention the security encrypted audio video channels that they broadcast BapDada around the world with or the Seniors communicate via, levels and levels of security but no transparency, no right to question or appeal. But, please, don't let me cause a distraction from the conversation, I am still looking forward to an answer to my questions ...

I ask, a good parent might be strict with a child one day and sweet it the next ... God Father Shiva does himself in the Murli. Do the Parents' overview of the situation not remain impartial and having the children's best interests at heart?

If I were you, or the BKWSU, I would be asking myself; why did Baba allow this? Why did Baba want this example of the family coming together like this and these issues to be raised in public? What would Baba do?
User avatar

sweetchill

BK

  • Posts: 52
  • Joined: 22 Nov 2006

Post05 Dec 2006

Dear Bansy,

Would Turkeys vote for Christmas?

EVERY poll result on this site is laughable - I am not casting a vote to try and add any credibility to them.

Mr ex-l,

Just take a look at the title of every article on the news section - every article is negative and having a dig at the BKs (with a number of them not even having any substance - just a series of leading questions and insinuations). I notice how you have skewed my point about the articles section being proof that this site is biased - a "fact" you are simply unwilling to accept.

Do you have anything to do with the setting up and running of this site? Actually, thinking about it ... that would answer a lot of questions ...

bansy

  • Posts: 1593
  • Joined: 30 Apr 2006

Post05 Dec 2006

Would Turkeys vote for Christmas?

Glad you can see the humour. Hope BKs are not turkeys. Or turkeys are not BKs.

All polls are laughable, re Labour vs Conservatives, Democrats vs Republicans, etc. But the turkeys who run the countries still vote.
User avatar

john

reforming BK

  • Posts: 1563
  • Joined: 03 May 2006
  • Location: UK

Post05 Dec 2006

sweetchill wrote:EVERY poll result on this site is laughable - I am not casting a vote to try and add any credibility to them.

Do you like anything about this place?

I have to assume with your statement that EVERY poll is laughable you are including the, "Should Murlis be freely available" one as well ...
User avatar

eromain

ex-BK

  • Posts: 110
  • Joined: 09 May 2006

Post05 Dec 2006

sweetchill,

Impartiality has nothing to do with the number of positive articles about something versus the number of negative. The BBC tries very hard to be impartial but say for example if it is reporting about democracy in Zimbabwe it will envariably find more negative news than positive. That isn’t because it is impartial it is because there is more negative news than positive. The BK websites try to report positive information about its activities and generally there is very little of significance about them. “Dadi opens new centre!” “Fading popstar confirms it isn’t a religion!!”. Oh Please.

This site is about information as opposed to propaganda. Unfortunately most of the news about the BKs is negative because the positive is already out there and the negative is just coming to light.

Find some positive news about the BKs that actually has some information in it and submit it to the site to be published. If they refuse then perhaps you’ll have something to whine about.

Eugene
User avatar

eromain

ex-BK

  • Posts: 110
  • Joined: 09 May 2006

Post05 Dec 2006

Heres a few to get you started ;

“BKWSU monitoring and evaluation procedures show that the number reported child abuse scares has risen but the number considered substantiated by the outside monitors has gone down.”

“BKWSU engages with its x members to try to improve treatment of its students.”

“BKSWU confirms it will no longer call itself the BKSWU anymore and apologises for an unintended misleading of people who though it was a university”.

“BKWSU admits that it could be considered a religion”.

“BKWSU offers compensation for minors who suffered abuse”.

“BKWSU admits it is in serious discussions with God about inconsistencies and changes in his eternal knowledge”.

"BKWSU confirms world did not end in 1976".

"BKWSU announces promotion of annonymous poster known as sweetchill to Dada status for "sorting out those shudras online".

You get the idea,

Eugene

freefall

ex-BK

  • Posts: 52
  • Joined: 11 Oct 2006

Post05 Dec 2006

sweetchill wrote:For me, impartiality is demonstrated by what you actually do - your actions. It is not about intention at all.

I entirely agree with sweetchill.

That's why you can come to this board and say that BK is a genuine organization. No one will remove your post.


That's why I cannot go to official BK board and claim that Dada Lekhraj was a charlatan. It will be removed in no time.
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Post05 Dec 2006

sweetchill wrote:every article is negative and having a dig at the BKs (with a number of them not even having any substance - just a series of leading questions and insinuations).

Specifics Mr Chill, specifics ... skip the general slur. This is my last hope that you will actually come out of your shell, otherwise I will vote with my feet and you will be left talking to yourself.
eromain wrote:This site is about information as opposed to propaganda ... Find some positive news about the BKs that actually has some information in it and submit it to the site to be published. If they refuse then perhaps you’ll have something to whine about.

I'd say that is practical. You can start as many threads in the BK forum about good news, you can take it over and colonized the place with positive, intelligent, accountable BKs. The door is wide open ... this ain't the Kurukshetra, Bhai, this is a mini-Madhuban. God gives it the thumbs up. The funny thing is sweet 'chill, if you just settled down and ;
    • dropped few new Murlis on us,
    • used your position to check in which BapDada and the Senior Sister to validate and verify facts like PBK Arjun does,
    • posted a few genuinely worthy news stories
we would probably just settle down quietly to discuss them. Instead, you are just kicking up the dust.

This is your chance to put the story right ... give it your best shot!

Starting with the charity status, could have news stories like;
    "BKWSU helps alleviate (others) poverty ... " or
    "BKWSU promotes Hinduism ... "
... oops, I am sorry, that was cruel! If you and they want to know a truth, the reason I hiked to find my own path, and it was very, very hard in the begin to escape the Planet BK, was because I got sick of all the self-promotion, self-important, "God's mission" stuff. I am embarrassed at what I did when I look back. It was all wrong. I was encouraged to be mad.

Service, Seva, was translated to mean ... "look at us" ... "believe in us" ... "aren't we pure" ... and don't we know lots of famous people. It has gotten worse not better; a 101 connivances to slip The Knowledge or organization in covertly. That is why I choose to "out" all the BK disguises and let folks know what they are up to; to give non-BKs a chance. At the moment, it seems to me that their big trick seems to be setting up talented and influential non-BKs to be the front or disguise for some service plan to ingratiate themselves into positions of power and influence. To do what though? Have the governments of the world surrender to them?

Now, funnily enough, with this "values education" stuff they could have and could be doing fair, if not "get-dirty-and-dangerous" type charity work. But I see they are charging for it and using it to slip in Gyan and Yoga covertly. Rather than being pure, it is a guise to get into schools and ministries. Is it more than just an another talking shop? And as far as the blurred financial connection between Brian Bacon and the BKWSU over the Oxford Leadership Academy/Self Management seminars ... don't get me started. I love to see an official statement on that.
    • What is going on with the Hospitals?
    • How much money are they giving to run them or is it just someone else's money?
    • What is that Millionaire's retreat center in Worthing all about?
    • Is it a free resource for the needy or a retirement home for rundown BKs?
I am serious, this much skepticism is unhealthy, give us some good news.
freefall wrote:That's why you can come to this board and say that BK is a genuine organization. No one will remove your post.

That's why I cannot go to official BK board and claim that Dada Lekhraj was a charlatan. It will be removed in no time.

Yes, but you will be asked to back your argument up with specific, well founded reason and evidence ... ;-)
User avatar

sweetchill

BK

  • Posts: 52
  • Joined: 22 Nov 2006

Post06 Dec 2006

Yet again, a blind denial to the obvious ... this site is NOT an impartial paragon of virtue that you claim it to be. Your failure to accept the downright anti-BK bias of your site is pretty appalling really. It tells me all I need to know about your site's high-minded claims on the frontpage to be the sham that they are.

How is critical article after critical article balanced, neutral, fair or honest? Even if you had the decency to headline the section "critical news articles" it would show a shred of honesty. But you cannot...as for submitting my own good stories for you to consider ... as if you have any intention to allow submission of genuinely good news stories - because they will undoutedly not meet your twisted sense of "news".

There are hundreds of amazing case studies of the impact the BKs have had on people's lives ... how lives have been transformed for the better ... how communities have been served.

Here's a good news story: The annual panto at GCH is in 10th year I believe ... it meant over 10,000 children have had the opportunity to see a Xmas panto FREE and be given an insight to true human values.

Oh yes ... that's not really a news story for you, is it? You're more interested in a fantastic story about a sham poll of your accolytes on this website saying they want the Murlis to be made public! Excellent! :D
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