BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

BKWSU related newstories
  • Message
  • Author
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post11 Jan 2009

File under, "how the mighty have fallen", from Hinduism Today May 1995.
They [The Brahma Kumaris] have a unique policy of not asking for or accepting any money from anyone who is not "benefiting from the teachings". They receive no grants from governments or any other organizations. All funds come from students' voluntary donations.

In this way the Brahma Kumaris advance into the future as pure and humble servants of God, preparing the way for the Spiritual Age.

Of course, it was no more true of the past that it is today. It is now entirely false. Have they issued press releases, or note on their extensive websites, to ensure the public is aware of this change of policy?

My serious question is, how far have they had to redefine the word "benefit" and "benefiting from the teachings" in the same way that "giving visions" has changed from literally giving psychic visions in the early days to ... what ... standing around in white today? In my opinion, the word benefit in their minds has come to mean as little as sharing the same space as a Brahma Kumari follower. They teach and really believe becoming "benefactors" means nothing more than just signing up and dressing on white, it seems to me. Is there any guarantee that any given BK is an enlightened benefactor ... or is it just all marketing and PR of evangelist events designed to seek converts and bring in their assests?

The money, property and grant racking that goes from from obviously non-BKs and non-benefitee sources is one thing, it is becoming their business international. I am just contemplating their mindstate as they presenting their "benefit" to bodies such as the charity commission etc, e.g. "we 'brought benefit' to a thousand people who came to our public event".
The BK are not afraid to point out what most would rather ignore-the degenerate condition of morals in society and overemphasis on material acquisition and enjoyment. According to the BK, the gains of scientific knowledge and industrial advancement have been nullified by the increased human distress. Life is filled with hunger, poverty, disease, stress, conflict and many such maladies.

They hold a not uncommon tenet that the dawn of the New Age can only occur through the destruction of the old. The forces of purity and righteousness destroy evil on the spiritual level, but there are physical manifestations as well. An early BK textbook states, "This second force brings about Destruction on a physical level-civil war in every continent of the world. The third and final aspect of the powers of destruction is the stock of nuclear weapons man has created. The material already accumulated is not simply for keeping, but will be used very shortly.

But destruction is a means of complete purification-a cleansing. With that final act of nuclear war there will be libertion for all souls-return to their original home, the Land of Peace." They point out that much of this is already occuring.

The article also underlines the entirely fake "1936 version" of the "enlightenment" or first possession of the spirit they name Shiva of Lekhraj Kirpalani.

john morgan

ex-BK

  • Posts: 397
  • Joined: 06 Oct 2007

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post11 Jan 2009

Give a BK a potential donor and the donor will be courted. I recall a Senior Sister saying to me, "He is a businessman, he might give Baba some money". The notion of only people who are benefitting from the teaching being allowed to donate is for students and this point will be deeply impressed upon them. "It is a privilege to give and you should only give to God". Be not fooled, many are the businessmen who have walked through BK doors who have no idea of what Gyan is about and who have been courted by the BK for one end ... to get their dosh. I suspect that many are the students who having pointed out this blindspot in the BK psyche and have been punished for it. The wheel of karma turns and sometimes decades later the truth comes out.

Krishnamurti was groomed to be a world saviour, he declined. The Murli is a remarkable blueprint of the human psyche, the transition from soul to Supreme Soul equates to lower and Higher Self in other systems of knowledge. The thing that marks out the BK from everyone else is the willingness of the "special" clergy to overact with the Authority of God. Obviously Krishnamurti found something suspect in that willingness, I think it was his recognition that all things are in all selves. He did not wish to exploit the more naive and found lording it over anyone distasteful. The BK love to lord it over others - and make them pay for the privilege.

In life, we are all exploring our own psyche's. It is up to us how we do it. If you really need the authority of God to prove you are right that's fine with me, please just do it in your own backyard. In various systems of spiritual growth, the words will be spoken, "If you do not do as we say, we can accept no responsibility for your spiritual progress". The reality is that we are each responsible for ourselves, fullstop. Yes, proximity to someone further along the path can be most helpful but one should examine carefully the price. What does "price" mean? Much much more than money! It is your life energy that knowledge is directing.

The BK are very focused on money. You get good BKs going to Madhuban. They already give 10% of their income (the guideline) and, because they have some spare cash, they are asked for more and made to feel guilty about keeping the cash in their own pocket, as the BK organisation will use it more wisely and, "Baba needs money". Now bearing in mind that Baba can closely equate to your own higher self, who is really giving to whom?

Despite that I personally find it better in deep meditation to take on board that the soul can never become the Supreme Soul, it's far safer when accessing the subconscious. Poor Icarus flew too close to the sun and the heat melted the wax holding his feather wings in place. Mythological symbols are very appealing to me. Alexander using a sword to cut through the Gordian Knot, perhaps it was a holy sword of light (Excalibur?). The fountain of eternal youth, the golden fleece are some and, for me, most useful. There is much remarkable music around too.

That's it for now, I am off to read 'The Masks of God' and 'Pathways to Bliss' by Joseph Campbell. Not sure that they are good reading but they may be.
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post21 Jun 2009

john morgan wrote:Give a BK a potential donor and the donor will be courted. I recall a Senior Sister saying to me, "He is a businessman, he might give Baba some money".

I do not know who is getting the money on this one, so I am asking the question ...

Self-Empowerment by 73 year old "self-empowerment guru" BK Bridget Menezes in Malaysia. Yet another Brahma Kumari coach, training, author ... whatever ... selling what we as BKs used to give for love. 20 years a BK and with "friends, some of whom are big shots" (which will go down well in BK HQ), like the Datuk Amar Laila Taib, wife of Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who became a good friend after she launched her 'Self-Empowerment' book in March 2005. Elsewhere, she tell us that the Prime Minister's wife, Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, was "the prime mover in getting her to publish the book".
BK Bridget Menezes wrote:She looked radiant and gave a wonderful speech. She praised my book and practically persuaded all of the 180 guests to buy at least two books each. Some bought five, others 10 and one person, 100. So in a few hours, 380 books were sold. Such was her impact.

My book .. Baba's book ... is it all the same old recycled SML again?

Goan-born Bridget Menezes appeared on radio programmes such as Self Empowerment on Traxx FM, The Living Room for Kuching RTM Radio, as well as appearing on TV shows for RTM2 and TV3 and writes for columns in the New Straits Times, The Sarawak Tribune and The Star.
"I am very careful with the words I use"

I bet you are Brigid ... but not that careful. She sound just like our end of the world prophet BK Lee James speaking whilst speaking at the NAM Institute for the Empowerment of Women.

I had foreseen this crisis coming a long time ago,” Brigid begins softly. “In the last 20 years, things were getting worse, day by day. And now it has precipitated at a fast speed ... The situation is going to be grim enough, so why should we make it worse? ... It’s Earth’s cycle. Nothing New ... We’ve faced this situation before, and we’ll face it again. History repeats itself."

Well, of course Brigid, its called "Destruction" to the Brahma Kumaris, is not it. The End of the World, again. And the Earth's Cycle is 5,000 years long. It sounds as if she is regurgitating Brian Bacon seminars.

I have not read "Self-Empowerment" by Bridget Menezes but I suspect that I have read it 100 of times over and that it is the usual re-hash of stock in trade BK-ism. It does not seem to be sold via Amazon. Only the BK shops, Eternity Ink etc (down from $21 to $16) or 38 Malaysian Ringgit. She says it is a "compilation of 700 pieces of her writings", though I bet we will all be able to recognize it. Perhaps we ought to have stayed in Gyan just re-sold it, although Brigid claims to have "renounced all her worldly possessions 15 years ago".

Elsewhere, Brigid admits she never did like replying letters, even losing a lot of her friends because of that and, as for reading, she recalls never completing a single book until she picked up a book by Prajapita Brahma, the founder of Raja Yoga.
User avatar

lokila

ex-BK

  • Posts: 90
  • Joined: 04 Sep 2008
  • Location: Europe

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post25 Jun 2009

After reading all these posts, I am waiting for the moment some BK in charge will pick up this idea.
As a new pastor, the Rev. David Stallion of Opelika, Ala., is looking for ways to become a better minister in his Baptist church. The Rev. Walter Sims of Birmingham, Ala., taught a class called "Pay Your Pastor! How Much is He Worth?" On Wednesday, there was a lively class discussion about pastor compensation.

Sims said that at times, some people wonder if pastors are paid too much. But he told the class, "If you bless the pastor, God will bless the church." "He's on call 24-7, seven days a week," Sims added. "He gives his life for the work of the Lord. And God's people ought to take care of the man of God." (from freep.com)

Pay Your Teacher in Charge! How Much is She Worth?
User avatar

tom

ex-BK

  • Posts: 363
  • Joined: 14 Jan 2008

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post25 Jun 2009

Lokila wrote:Pay Your Teacher in Charge!

Dear Lokila,

According to Maryadas, the BKs are practicing this since 1950'ies. I don't know the different practices in different centers but I know the accurate system in BKWSU:

The regular BKs put all donations and their monthly contributions into Baba's Box and the Center-in-charge takes care of all expenses, including his/her own expenses, from Baba's Box. It depends on Center-in-charges conscience and his/her private income if he/she pays her vacation airplane ticket and/or private expenses from Baba's Box.

There is, of course, a file where the Center-in-charge or his/her helper, one Senior BK, writes down all income and outgoings and which is send to Madhuban for Dadi Janki's inspection. But these are all depending to that Center-in-charges decision and open to his/her manipulation.
User avatar

lokila

ex-BK

  • Posts: 90
  • Joined: 04 Sep 2008
  • Location: Europe

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post25 Jun 2009

tom wrote: According to Maryadas the BKs are practicing this since 1950-ies.

Thanks Tom, for making this clear. I wasn't aware this was Maryadas. From a point of view, in the 1950-ies in India and mainly women in charge of centers, I can understand. But living in one of the wealthiest countries on earth it is not quite fair. Well, but this is not about what's fair and what's not, is it?
It depends on Center-in-charges conscience and his/her private income if he/she pays her vacation airplane ticket and/or private expenses from Baba's Box.

Baba's box was just a bank account. The center in charge gave up her job to be involved in full time service. Which meant (related to the bank account) changing furniture every 3 months, redecorating the kitchen once a year, buying designer stuff and so on. If the huge closets, packed with fancy clothes for the center-in-charge were on the account of the donations, I don't know. I was never ever aware of the fact I was sustaining the private expenses of a center-in-charge. We were told that the money was mainly used to pay the tickets to Madhuban for those who could not afford it. I did not mind that, I was willing to earn an income to deliver my part, working from 7.30 to 19.00 and afterwards giving classes and courses.
There is of course a file where the Center-in-charge or his/her helper one Senior BK writes down all income and outgoings

But I never ever saw any of these files. I was just instructed how I could reduce tax because I gave for charity, and so I was able to give even more! Asking for transparency was absolutely not done. I did it once, but that was end of story ... I was neglected for many months.
User avatar

tom

ex-BK

  • Posts: 363
  • Joined: 14 Jan 2008

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post25 Jun 2009

Lokila wrote:The center in charge gave up her job to be involved in full time service. Which ment (related to the bank account) changing furniture every 3 months, redecorating the kitchen once a year, buying designer stuff and so on. If the huge closets, packed with fancy clothes for the center in charge were on the account of the donations, I don't know. I was never ever aware of the fact I was sustaining the private expenses of a center in charge

You are hitting the target Lokila. This system is open to corruption and manipulation. It depends on the Center-in-charge how to use Baba's money. Some change, nonstop, furnitures and buy expensive things. Some spent money on fancy clothes and on private flights to their homeland, on expensive holidays or on flights to Madhuban, nobody controls, not even the Regional Coordinators.

The Centre-in-charges are given the full authority over Baba's money so that they don't need to consult any teacher or pukka BK in their center. The BK helping with the accounts is the trusted person of the Center-in-charge who would cover all wrong doings.

You know that there are no members in this system. Does not matter how the front organization's constitution is fixed, the Center-in charges are "the instruments of God" and the BKs in the center have to be the "obedient children" never questioning Center-in-charges' decisions. Dadi Janki controls from the given accounts which center has this year good income (means has rich BKs and contact persons) and which center is losing income (means could be dependent on the Headquarter soon therefore the Center-in-charge has to be warned).

But there are also some Center-in-charges who work part-time and spent all their income to cover most expenses of the center.
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post26 Jun 2009

tom wrote:But these are all depending to that Center-in-charges decision and open to his/her manipulation.

I am reminded of Big Mohini in America flying over to some small center in the USA and taking away a big cheque that some young Sister had received from an Indian businessman to promote service ... we presumed at that local center.

Mohini had done none of the work to get it but the money just disappeared back with her to New York. No one knew what for or how it was used. No BK felt they could ask of challenge her. The BKWSO states clearly it has "no members" in its constitutions. It is 'them' and fake 'students' with no rights.

But now this new system has started amongst powerful, "faithful" independent BK followers where they can publish books, do seminars, run businesses obviously connected with other long-term "faithful" BKs and 'The Knowledge'. It appears to me that the money received from that is a kind of reward and to keep the BKs close.

The leadership know that someone it will go back into service and any VIPs etc will come the BKWSU way for further milking, and so that is enough for them. I would like to know if such BKs are pressurized by the leadership to "deliver the goods" or VIPs.

jann

friends or family of a BK

  • Posts: 1227
  • Joined: 29 Jan 2007
  • Location: europe

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post26 Jun 2009

What about sub-centers?
User avatar

tom

ex-BK

  • Posts: 363
  • Joined: 14 Jan 2008

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post26 Jun 2009

jannisder wrote:What about sub-centers?

You are always asking good questions jannisder. As far as I know, the sub-centers are centers with small BK population running with the same system. The main center's Center-in-charge has no control power on sub-center's budget. Only when the sub-center's income dries out they may get a small help from Madhuban but not forever, and they have to close down. You know nobody helps anybody in BK system. The main center's Center-in-charge gets more power when the sub-center closes.
ex-l wrote:I am reminded of Big Mohini in America flying over to some small center in the USA and taking away a big cheque that some young Sister had received from an Indian businessman to promote service

Yes, this event was documented in this forum. I assume that this young Center-in-charge of this small center must have told about this big donation with pride to Dadi Janki or to Big Mohini so that this intervention of Big Mohini happened. If she could keep it secret, or could lie that she got some help from her own family, nobody could take it away from her. But she must have been too honest to share the good news with her Seniors and, ooops ... has lost it in a second.

The honest ones amongst the BKs are belittled as if they are some sort of freaks.
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post26 Jun 2009

Does that make the system, basically, a multi-level marketing franchise scam for gurus ... each progressive layer of BK a lower layer of guruship? You follow our Maryadas and orders, and we give you the Brahma Kumari franchise for "this" area to raise money and your status.

I think it was Alladin who likened it more to a mafia where the top dogs (aka main centers) get their commissions in cash from their regional lieutenants when the Dadis and Didis go on tour. It was Janki who said, "all money that is given to me, goes to Madubhan" suggest that there was some kind of increased karmic benefits for donations being given to the Mount Abu headquarters. A concept or superstition that is widespread amongst the religion. Who knows where it really goes? I am not suggesting outright embezzlement, I am just suspecting it goes to Dadi Janki VIP hunting fund or something.

Who really knows how the financial decisions are made, who holds onto them or accounts for them and so on? We did hear talk of Dadi Janki's private bank account ... even though she has never held down a paid job in her life. Where did that come from and how much is in it?

The big joke is how they organize all this money within the framework of national charities? I mean, specifically, should ALL the money not be going back to the national charity to then be distributed out to where there is the greatest need? (Big joke that happening!!!)
User avatar

tom

ex-BK

  • Posts: 363
  • Joined: 14 Jan 2008

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post26 Jun 2009

ex-l wrote:The big joke is how they organize all this money within the framework of national charities? I mean, specifically, should ALL the money not be going back to the national charity to then be distributed out to where there is the greatest need? (Big joke that happening!!!)]

Yes, everything is a big joke within BKWSU. The national charities only exist on paper. The national charity declared as stationed in the main center gets financial subvention from the sub-centers for extra expenses related to charity work. They consider all official work like fake accounts, fake membership, documentation etc. for Charity Commissions or tax payments to the government as a huge burden for which the sub-centers have to pay their share to the main center.
Does that make the system, basically, a multi-level marketing franchise scam for gurus ... each progressive layer of BK a lower layer of guruship? You follow our Maryadas and orders, and we give you the Brahma Kumari franchise for "this" area to raise money and your status.

Exactly. A Center-in-charge has as much power as much she/he brings donations and/or donors to Madhuban, which means to Dadi Janki. As long as the Center-in-charges don't ask for help and bring donations in, nobody asks what they are doing with their income.
User avatar

lokila

ex-BK

  • Posts: 90
  • Joined: 04 Sep 2008
  • Location: Europe

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post01 Jul 2009

Another book by Gayatri Naraine, available on Barnes & Nobel and Amazon. She has been traveling all over the world -I wonder if she went by train to "contribute to the protection of the environment and the development of a sustainable lifestyle" as is written by the BK at their environment website- to interview some people. And voilá, a book: Something beyond greatness. Something Beyond Greatness by Judy Rodgers and Gayatri Naraine on tour June/July 2009. I guess none of the people who have been interviewed have any idea what the purpose is of such a book.

I was involved in organizing events to bring VIPs together. There was special attention for the religious VIPs and the scientists. The scientists were invited because we needed them to work for us to invent flying saucers in the Golden Age, so I was told. We had to make them our servants. The center in charge could even ask you afterwards how many servants you created that day (I am not joking!).

The religious VIPs were invited to create a discussion so BKs could in a subtle way prove their wrong thinking and convince their audience of the BKs right way of thinking by behaving extremely virtuous, smiling constantly and talking in a very simple way about God. We even practised this sometimes at the center.

There was never a real interaction with the audience. We were just thinking: "you never know if there is going to be a BK amongst them, so the only thing I need to do is make sure my Yoga is very good so Baba can be Karankaravanhar."

Everything had a purpose, there was never a genuine interest in what someone else had to say, not matter how much they had studied or how well they were able to speak about a subject. For us, BKs, the VIPs were future servants or microphones. The audience (the common people) was a gathering were possibly one or two future BKs were 'hiding'.

I would not be surprised if this book is just another attempt to create servants and microphones and deliver the 'proof' of the Brahma Kumaris as the institution which has exclusive access to The Knowledge of the world.
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post01 Jul 2009

Well spotted. Is it a surprise that they are not even climbing on Eckhart Tolle's back!?!

And thank you Lokila for confirming the truth of what others have said about other such ventures. Its so "formulaic", is not it?

Even down to the "one of them and one of us" portrayal of Brahma Kumari Judy Rodgers NOT being a BK and Gayatri being the "official" one, the "co-incidental" market placement of BK Dadi Janki in amongst all the great and good.

Thank you for your honesty. Well done for getting out of there!
User avatar

lokila

ex-BK

  • Posts: 90
  • Joined: 04 Sep 2008
  • Location: Europe

Re: BKWSU, the business, money and selling Gyan

Post01 Jul 2009

ex-l wrote:Thank you for your honesty.

To me honesty it's all there is left. The difficulty when not telling the truth is you need to keep a record of what you said, when and to whom. Complex book keeping.

I remember a conversation I had whilst doing 'service' in Madhuban in a department where all the recordings of classes were done. Someone working there told me it was so strange to hear classes about the history of the BK conducted by Manohar Dadi. Over the years she came up with so many different versions of the same stories, eventually it wasn't possible to say what was actually the correct version.

It is very well possible memories get corrupt over the years. Even unnoticed. I am aware of it and try contribute those memories I am sure they are recorded correctly in my mind. However, memories get mixed with emotions and feelings, constantly changing in time. Like when one looks at a very old picture from childhood. I never know exactly what I am making up and what is a genuine memory of that time, so long ago. Well, I guess I am a bit off topic now.

ex-l wrote:Its so "formulaic", is not it?

Plus arrogant and narrow minded.

PS: thanks for correcting some of my spelling mistakes :-)
PreviousNext

Return to News