Legal 'class action' against the BKWSU

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ex-l

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Legal 'class action' against the BKWSU

Post16 Apr 2012

From another topic ...
leonard wrote:We read quite a few tales such as these of moving experiences from people who feel they have been manipulated or misled by BK, and there are others who do not write but feel the same ... if people are keen for reform in BK, in your country you could begin what is called a class action. That is to say a group who feel strongly that they have been led into giving their time, money and maybe careers, by wrong information from BK, and that for years together they were told untruths about the true history of BK, in order to make it easier for them to accept The Knowledge and commit themselves personally and financially to BK, could form a class action.

A "class action" is where a group of people with the same damages and suffering come together and appoint one lawyer to represent them against the same individuals who caused those damages and suffering. In our case, the BKWSU/BKWSO.

Although the law differs from country to country, generally in cases against religion, "undue influence" is presumed by the courts. In essence, the religion is guilty ... unless it can prove it is innocent and has done everything it can to stop abuses.

"Undue influence" means one or more people taking advantage of a position of power over another person. Priests over a member of their parish is one such example ... and I can imagine the Brahma Kumaris twisting and turning to argue that they are not a religion and not priests, merely "teachers at a university" and that their followers are students. Does not matter, teachers and students would count too.

In my opinion, there is no doubt that the Brahma Kumari leaders, from Janki Kripalani down, have deceived, manipulated and defrauded followers in the West from when they first came here and can prove how. There is also no doubt in my mind that the leaders of the religion are essentially parasitical, living off the rest of society, right down to essentially having to 'steal' other family's children and other individuals' husbands and wives, in order to survive.

This has caused a vast amount of very real damage to individuals falsely sucked into their religion, and the rest of society (family and marriages breaking up, individuals destroying their education and careers and losing years of their life, and the time it takes to recover afterwards are all very costly in real terms). The BKWSU offers no exit strategy and no support for individuals seeking to exit which in, say, India is a very serious matter. To the BKs you become "lower than the lowest of the low" ... lower than shudras ... "traitors" or "failures".

The difficulties is starting such cases are numerous. Firstly, the Brahma Kumaris are a multi-national operation now and operate at a thin level and internationally. Even though much of the money all goes back to Indian HQ, victim's cases would fall under different national jurisdictions.

Secondly, when individuals finally fall free of the BKWSU, generally the last thing they want to do is have anything more to do with them and it takes a number of year for them to recover and decide their position to the BKWSU. They can remain confused and unclear for many years. That is normal ... but in the law you have "statutory limitations" meaning that cases have to be brought within a certain period of time. A lot of the time the BKs keep very "sweet" with ex-es to keep them "co-operative".

In my own case, for example, I left far too long ago and so I could not join one (statutory limitations), but I would help anyone or ones who wish to fight their case. I think there is a good case based on the ridiculous beliefs and demands and all the deception that has gone on hiding the failed predictions of the End of the World and falsified history.

It was my greatest shock and awakening when I discovered that at the same time Janki Kripalani was preaching the End of the World in 1976, there were buying their first of many freeholds in the West. Of course, at the time we did not know that there had been previous failed predictions, e.g. WWII, 1950 ... but she would have and she hid it from her donors. This pattern carried on into the 1980s when they then hid again the failure of the 1976 prediction ... but where still asking for money off people to buy more and more freehold properties.


Why would you want a freehold property when the world was going to end in 2 to 3 years as Jayanti Kirpalani kept teaching? Believe it or not, it is even against the Shrimat in the Murlis. Not that they care much about that when it suits them.

starchild

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Re: Legal 'class action' against the BKWSU

Post17 Apr 2012

Also, it is I would say too long since I have left for me to join. How long is the statutory limitation? I think this brings up the issue of the layers of fear which are part of the cleverness within their teachings and system. Not only that of the sins and impurity (which was recounted recently by Marley) but going much deeper. I suspect that one of the reasons that ex-bks will not speak out against them, is also fear based. I would say a lot of former BKs would be fearful and apprehensive of being in the presence of BKs. Especially the Seniors. Such is the atmosphere they have created around themselves.
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ex-l

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Re: Legal 'class action' against the BKWSU

Post17 Apr 2012

starchild wrote:How long is the statutory limitation?

Impossible for me to say as it would depend where you are and I am not a lawyer. On average 6 years but claimants generally need to act much quicker than this in order to avoid other possible defences (in the UK, fraudulent breach of trust have no limitation). Bear in mind the law is not really set up for the sake of what might seem "fair" or "right" but for the sake of following the law, and in the UK and US is generally 'adversarial' in nature, i.e. the best fighter, or the fighter with the biggest wallet and best lawyer, usually wins. Other countries have other systems.

For example, a Russian ex-BK took the BKs to court to get back an apartment he had given them whilst under their influences (high on the Honeymoon Phase), and the BKs fought back and won. A strange example of the BKs materialist greed, I thought. If someone was that happy, I would have given it back without an argument. I would have thought that is what Lekhraj Kirpalani would have done (at the same time they were "playing" the Russian visa system).


There is a similar case which mostly, but not completely, failed here: Limitation; Undue Influence: Azaz v Denton and the Self Realization Meditation Healing Centre (SRMHC) where someone was convinced to have over large sums of money and property to a cultic religion which hired a famous/notorious and expensive celebrity solicitors called Carter-Ruck.

Note, one of the elements the claimants raised was "fraudulent concealment" which I think we could prove the BKs have done.

In this case, the court found that "there was no satisfactory reason why X had not issued his claim form prior to the expiry of the limitation period relevant to the personal injury claim and no explanation at all for the delay between the expiry of that limitation period and the issue of the claim form". This might be right according to the law but it seems unfair as it does not take into consideration the mental effects of having been in a cultic. It is too much to expect that a victim snaps back into normality overnight. It was a "personal injuries" claim and only a part of their claim was allowed to go on in a local magistrates court.

The law is also an expensive gamble. It is a rich man's game unless you can find a company who would take such a case on 'pro bono' (for the sake of good).
1 Chancery Lane wrote:Judgment in the above case was handed down on 21st July 2009 ([2009] EWHC 1759 (QB)). The claimant alleged undue influence by the defendants (D and S). SRMHC was a healing centre which had been established by Denton who was its spiritual leader attributed with the status of 'guru'. S's activities included teaching meditation and healing and it operated as a residence for those who wished to participate in communal living.

X had left his career as a medical doctor and he and his wife became resident at S, earning their keep through teaching meditation and healing activities. Upon joining, X transferred all his assets, both in cash and property, to S. X later left the centre and requested the return of his assets. When that did not happen he issued proceedings against D and S alleging inter alia that D, as his spiritual leader, had exercised undue influence over him as a result of which he had handed over and allowed the use of all his personal possessions, worked for D and S without receiving proper remuneration and developed episodes of severe dissociative mental illness (personal injury claim).

X sought equitable compensation or damages or both. D and S in defence alleged that X's equitable claim was barred by the doctrine of laches (unreasonable lapse of time) and that the other claims were statute barred pursuant to the Limitation Act 1980.

marley

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Re: Legal 'class action' against the BKWSU

Post17 Apr 2012

This statement is great, thanks ex-I, and it shows reality in absolute. Naturally one could say let's fight BKism-traitors this way and still inside of me there would be some horrible fear to have them "around" again, also in dreams. So it is right to say that a handful of people against an international organization - no way for me let's say :-(.

On the other hand, it is good to get together to get over it, to form an ex-BK group, make an exit-strategy which is absolutely necessary and could save people who are not able to leave BK behind even if the wanted to.

jann

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Re: Legal 'class action' against the BKWSU

Post18 Apr 2012

An ex narcanon member David Love, made it happen the they shut down in Canada he suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome but he made it to fight Scientology with support of Anonymous. A lot can be done with networking, writing letters of concern to government people in every country. And get rid of the fear of them, they are nothing! They are scared of you! Use it!

marley

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Re: Legal 'class action' against the BKWSU

Post18 Apr 2012

Thank you Jann for your encouragement and your statement - you ARE RIGHT they ARE paper lions :-)).

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