bin wrote:We are adult people and there are many things we can do, the BK is one of them and if you have a good time there, it is nice. If not just go your own way.
Yes and no, I think. Of course we all have the opportunity to be as selfish and indulgent as we want ... the "right" to do so even, if you are rich or live in a wealthy, developed nation.
But surely we have moral responsibilities towards others as well, don't we? Even have legal responsibilities.
I, personally, think the BK leaders cross the line of reasonableness because of all their dishonesty about their past, their false representation and their manipulation of others.
You could also say "other religions do this too" and you would be correct. They have done much worse ... but do we need any more of religious crap on this planet? I don't think so. I think we need to evolve beyond it.
Yes, I think perhaps part of the attraction to becoming a BK is for us to give up thinking for ourselves, to have our lives decided upon for us, to follow Shrimat and the leaders unquestioningly. It is a sort of freedom. It may also be a refuge for weak people ... or ordinary people going through a weak and insecure period in their lives.
This last case is where I think 'honest religion' is a good thing and the world needs real 'spiritual hospitals' and retreats.
We just know the BKs are not. They could have been become that, but they are not. And so all we know about them is that we don't know the truth about that ... and they are controlled by a crazy, End of the World spirit or addiction.
With regards to the length of The Cycle, 5,000 years was just a number they picked out of Hindu Bhakti. Sri Krishna's "Prakata-lila" was said to 5000 years ago and Lekhraj Kirpalani believed he was him ... before there was any mention of Shiva. For whatever reason, they took that number and said it repeats time and time again whereas in Hinduism, the Kalpa is much, much longer ... 100,000s of years.
The Prakata-lila means the manifestation of Sri Krishna on earth for performing activities in human form. Lekhraj Kirpalani honest thought and told his followers he was Krishna.