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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amaranthine

BK

  • Posts: 108
  • Joined: 02 Jun 2006

Post26 Jan 2007

i would say that a high proportion of the posts on this site express a bitterness towards the BKs and that the reason for this is that the most regular posters seem to have had a bad experience with the BKs that resulted in them leaving. Hence i often leave this site feeling its a bit one dimensional. i think this is a shame as i agree in principle with a lot of what is said here. Because of this, i do get a bit concerned that if someone was contemplating becoming a BK, and their research led them to this site, a lot of the points raised here might be ignored due to this blatant bias.

If there was a BK forum, i would imagine most of the posts would be about how wonderful the BKs were and how the organisation had been a positive influence in their life etc etc. This would also be one dimensional and equally useless a guide about the organisation.

The main agendas i have picked up from this site are;
    make the Sakar Murlis available
    remove any editing of the Murlis that may have occurred
    expose how the organisation is allegedly ammending their philosophy
    expose the organisations alleged mind control techniques
    expose the organisations alleged movement from soul consciousness to image consciousness (into media whore)
All these agendas are reported as concrete facts when they may well not be.

I have not picked up any agendas that are supportive of an individual who might be meditating, i find this a bit odd considering this site is called brahmakumaris.info.

My conclusions about the site are that if you want a place to moan about the BKs, then this is an excellent place to come. Don't be put off from the moans though as beneath the bitterness there are some good points that are being raised. My hopes for the site are that more BKs will post here which would give the whole site a more balanced and multidimensional feel.

amaranthine

BK

  • Posts: 108
  • Joined: 02 Jun 2006

Is this supposed to be a joke?

Post26 Jan 2007

i've just seen this section of the site; http://www.brahmakumaris.info/articleindex.html

OMG it reads like something out of the Daily Mail. For readers who don't live in the UK, the Daily Mail is a scaremongering, right wing, xenophobic newspaper. It often has headlines along the lines of 'whatever it is, it's a bloody disgrace'

Where are the positive articles?
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john

reforming BK

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

Post27 Jan 2007

Amaranthine,

I agree with what you are saying to a degree, the agendas you have outlined need to be addressed seriously by BKs. It would be good if more BKs posted and gave their point of view over the issues raised.

I don't consider myself to be bitter, but I do consider being bitter valid and I don't think any excuses need to be given by anyone feeling bitter. As you will have noticed some very dedicated BKs are now ex-BKs and do hold some valid bitterness.

In some ways this site has become an antithesis to BKSWU whitewash and PR. If the organisation stands for truth, then the truth should come out, warts and all. If BKSWU truly believes it's own knowledge, then it is to be understood that drama is accurate and that these points are coming out for a real and valid reason.
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ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Re: Is this supposed to be a joke?

Post27 Jan 2007

amaranthine wrote:Where are the positive articles?

The only positive stories any BK has ever offered on this forum is that the BKWSU has offered free Christmas Pantomimes to children in the UK ... I am asking this honestly, without any sense of maliciousness, what positive stories are there?

I'd welcome some balance to the negative incidents, so please go ahead and use this thread, or another, to document them. All we get from the BKWSUs are the usual; "new center opened ... ran a service programme ... sucked up to some ignorant VIPs or local judiciary ... some Dadi says something ... ". Its hardly "news". I only wished they did use the organization that they have built up to do more concrete goodworks for anyone but themselves.

I can specificially remember Jayanti Kirpalani saying that according to Shrimat the BKWSU did not do "social works" only 'Godly service'. And the Murli backed that up. This does seem to have changed a little but, in my opinion, mostly for the PR value.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

amaranthine

BK

  • Posts: 108
  • Joined: 02 Jun 2006

Post27 Jan 2007

How do i post articles in this section?
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sparkal

BK supporter

  • Posts: 438
  • Joined: 04 May 2006
  • Location: Shivalaya

Post27 Jan 2007

Could it be that a bias and bitter site may be showing more unity and togetherness than the BKs? Or are BKs too content to post on a forum? More BKs will come if they know that they are not going to be pounced upon by angry people who blame the BK individual for their own past experiences.

While we are at it, why do souls remember mostly the negative experiences and seemingly ignore the elevated experiences? Does the anger come from having seen / experienced so much potential both within the self and the organisation but are frustrated at it not being realised? ... Yet.

Another point is that even if the BKs need to look at some of its policies, it is highly possible for souls to act out of ignorance. Especially those who have been inside the bubble for a long time. It could be that they would be willing to listen and communicate about the issues raised, if the points are presented in a positive, less aggressive/immature, even manner, though maybe not.

The BKs should be thinking about how they can rectify things and bring these naughty posters on side, as well as creating an organisation which is willing to co-operate/accommodate more with those who attend, or they will go away like most others feeling that they "don't fit in" to quote one Brother at the centre once. The squeaky clean thing is off putting.

I tend to see this forum as being a bit like a sand pit for ex-BKs to throw things around in. I also feel that someone thinking of doing a bit at the BKs may be put off due to the lack of BKs posting, or onesidedness. There again, if souls are not accepted for what they are, then BKs will stay away. Saying things like 'spoken like a true devotee' etc in reaction to someone expressing their views is not going to create a balanced viewpoint. Also, I don't think it is the aim of this forum to offer a balanced viewpoint, caused partly no doubt by the BK approach of shutting souls out rather than face issues and any other skulduggery that is going on.

The fact is, this site may not hold its ground against BKs who really wanted to make a point.(?)

We should treat BKs as we would have the BKs treat us.

The power to face ...
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Mr Green

ex-BK

  • Posts: 1877
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Post27 Jan 2007

All aspects of the BKs do need reporting to the public, including the controversy. It may not be nice reading for a current BK, but these things are realities in some peoples lives.

It is the nature of an organisation with a core teaching that is secret and withheld from the public deliberately (understandable knowing the nature of elite-ist apocalyptic belief) that most public events are a way of getting souls into "God's house". This is not meant to be a criticism, just the truth of what the inner circle talks about in it's private meetings.

The BKs have a policy of not helping anyone outside of their organisation. Again not a criticism, just the nature of the beast. It is "wrong to give charity to shudras" ... it is in the Murlis.

Perhaps the nature of the BKs will change, but only if they let go of the idea that they are God's messengers, instrumental in the creation of the new world the same as they were 5,000 years ago ... I cannot see this happening.

You see there are many good willed individuals in the BKs who really do believe they are helping others and in some ways they do. Now that the Positive Thinking course has been re-written to not be hidden Gyan, it actually can help people ...

I suppose what I am getting at is people need to know that crap that goes on, not just the calculated shiny public face ...
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Mr Green

ex-BK

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Post27 Jan 2007

I disagree with you amarth ... although I see where your coming from. You have to remember that you are a BK, so some things on here for you will be not nice reading, I was a BK too and I would have felt the same way then ... In fact, I would have seen all this as simply "ego" and Maya.

I don't like being called bitter. I have heard this many times from BKs but I don't think I am. I was deeply hurt by the BKs but I am healing my life and moving on ... what else can I do? I certainly will not be re-joining, even though that was a complete life for me for a big chunk of my life ... but bitter, no. And even if people are bitter, that also is a valid emotion and understandable.

The thing is, everyone is welcome to join this debate amarth. Maybe you should ask yourself the question why more BKs aren't willing to join this site, anyone can post here.

amaranthine

BK

  • Posts: 108
  • Joined: 02 Jun 2006

Post27 Jan 2007

I agree feelings are valid. What I am saying is that to a neutral observer, i would imagine that a lot of the posts here would appear to come from a bitter place, i.e. a lot of the comments seem to be barbed and thus the validity and reliability of the comments is reduced.

I have asked myself, "why BKs do not join this site?", and the conclusion i came to was that this site can be a bit one dimensional. A bit like a political party with one main issue who never talk about anything but that issue - it gets very predictable after a while.

amaranthine

BK

  • Posts: 108
  • Joined: 02 Jun 2006

Post27 Jan 2007

I agree Mr Green, controversy does need to be reported - my point is that it has been reported in that section in such a sensationalistic, unbalanced and poorly evidenced manner that it almost appears to be a satire created by the BKs themselves in order to discredit the efforts of this site in reporting these events.

By the way how do we post articles on that part of the site?
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john

reforming BK

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

Post27 Jan 2007

I have asked myself why BKs do not join this site and the conclusion I came to was that this site can be a bit one dimensional, a bit like a political party with one main issue who never talk about anything but that issue - it gets very predictable after a while.

If you, or any other BK, could get answers or answers from Seniors, then maybe the forum or site would move in a different direction. You don't seem to understand the gravity of the issues raised.

Any BKs which understands the situation and does nothing are in my mind complicit and must share part guilt. I am not talking about personal grievances and situations, but the idea that there may be some in the BKSWU deliberately misleading souls for their own ends.
Are Murlis changed to fit the story that the leaders would like to tell?

Deliberately, or innocently, I don't think any soul has the ability to know which parts of Gyan should stay and which should go; and if it is Gyan spoken by ShivaBaba, then it should be included. It's foolish for any BK to remove parts because they are not able to see the relevance of out of ignorance, and criminal to do it purposefully to mislead.

What is alarming is that it is only ex-BKs raising these issues. Or at least the only ones in public.

bansy

  • Posts: 1593
  • Joined: 30 Apr 2006

Post27 Jan 2007

amaranthine wrote:What I am saying is that to a neutral observer

What does neutral observer mean ?
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ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Post27 Jan 2007

amaranthine wrote:By the way how do we post articles on that part of the site?

That part? One cannot really. You can join the news section and post comments. A few have. Or you can post stories / raise issues here on the forum and if they gather enough weight, they will be picked up by the moderators. Alternatively, mail the Admin.

Personally, I think the best tack is to post them here where they will be read by others anyway ... and keep banging on your own drum. Start a thread in the BK section for "Positive News". May be I am wrong to say it but, please do us all a favor and skip the bland press release / mailing list type stuff. I am serious, I am desparate to see real positive news come out of the BKWSU to balance all the other upsetting stuff.

These posts kind of relate to the thread developing on "Is Brahmakumaris.info an impartial website?". I am not sure where to respond, may be they should be combined into one thread?

amaranthine

BK

  • Posts: 108
  • Joined: 02 Jun 2006

Post27 Jan 2007

Might be a good idea to merge the threads.

When i have time i will try and look for some 'quality' articles about the BKs (for and against) as when i read through the current list of articles in that section it makes me feel like i did when i watched elements of the Just a Minute programme at Wembly - they are both major cringe inducers.

amaranthine

BK

  • Posts: 108
  • Joined: 02 Jun 2006

Post27 Jan 2007

An individual, with no prior experience of the BKs, who might be doing some research on them before going to one of their courses.
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