My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

for ex-BKs, exiting BKs, Friends & Family of BKs and newcomers to the forum.
  • Message
  • Author

raistlin

ex-BK

  • Posts: 47
  • Joined: 10 Sep 2009
  • Location: Planet Earth

My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post29 Jun 2013

Pros:
    - I have been to India and there, in 1995, on the Shiv Jayanti, I realized that there was no "God" at all. I was so confused and disappointed. I felt they just deceived me. I have been to Madhuban only once and never ever again. That is the only one truly positive aspect of my BK life, that let me open my eyes and to know the truth.
Cons:
    - I lost my family. My mother is a BK from 1992 and, at the moment, just two weeks ago I forbid her to have ANYTHING common to that cult. Either BKs or I'll throw her out of the flat. And she had to make a choice. We have been in a regular conflict since I quit the organization in 2000. My Father died in 2005.

    - I passed through a very deep thought reform. They just gave me a decent brainwashing but, luckily, they failed to totally brainwashed me. That's why I managed to survive and escaped eventually.

    - I lost the chance to continue studying (I wanted to study English and work as a professional translator), instead, in 1994, when I was 19 and had one by one two nervous breakdowns just two months before the last exams in my secondary school, my mother, an active BK for two years, pulled me in that cult; and I joined as I was completely out of reality in the very middle of the nervous breakdown. I did not care at all what would happen to me. My Father did not care too.

    And now, because of my mental illness, I've got worse and worse problems with my memory because of the chronic depression.

    - For the 6 years I had spent with those monsters, I learned:
      how to be an extreme egoist,
      how to stop to care for those I love,
      how to cheat and lie the people just to lure them to the cult (thank God I failed to bring to the cult anyone),
      how to cut off any emotions and feelings,
      how to deal with spirits,
      how to believe even in the biggest bulls**t in the world which is true because everything what ShivBaba would say, MUST BE THE TRUTH, and whatever Seniors say must be the truth as well,
      how to use hypnosis on others (even now, after 13 years outside that cult, I am still afraid to look straight into one's eyes, I fear not to hypnotize them by chance).
      I also learned how to use violence both emotional and mental to achieve my goal (their goal),
      I learned how to pretend that I am happy as I was forced to be always happy, and to have zeal and enthusiasm - Baba doesn't like the sad and depressed "children".
    - I lost my identity, my self-respect, I lost my friends, I lost my books I loved to read, the BKs killed my passion, as I was passionate in creating computer music before my mother pulled me in, they disallowed me to think, to criticize, to have common sense - all this was "useless" and were obstacles in the path on the spiritual enlightenment.

    - I was beaten by some hools they called themselves the football fans who broke my jaw, because I wasn't able to properly react in the moment when my life was in danger, I was speechless - because of the BKWSU preach that if you have a real good Yoga, you would be even able to turn yourself into a cone of light and nobody would even dare to touch you.

    Of course, I believed in that nonsense. Even my mother was repeating me that. I lost her too as she tried and still tries to deny that she is not my mother anymore, she is my "spiritual Sister" who played a role of my mother in the certain period of time as she used to do it in every Kalpa . You don't even know how much I hate her for what she did to me, when I had a nervous breakdown - instead of taking me to a psychotherapist or psychiatrist she let the BKs "to take care of me".

    - For 13 years I have suffered from depressive and fear disorders, I was suicidal very often, I had a one suicide attempt but, luckily, it failed. I had no friends because they are afraid of me, because of my mental illness. I only had one mate who is depressive too. I had no family, as my all relatives shut their doors on front of me, when I had that courage to tell them about my illness. It was short after my Father died, and it seemed that we are a family, but they just pretend. I made a mistake, but it doesn't matter anymore.

    - A month ago the doctor told me that I suffer from candidiasis (I am passing through very unpleasant and painful medical treatment at the moment). For the six years of my life as a BK, I ate just enormous amount of sugar. I was working very hard (I had to be in contact with the centre-in-charge constantly), and was eating not much though. Only that much to have the power to do a "karma Yoga" in the BK centre (I was responsible for media) or for the organization outside 24/7/365. I hadn't my own life at all, no needs. I just did not exist as an independent person.

    - I suffer from sleep deprivation and insomnia. I dream very often (when I am able to sleep eventually) of the nightmares where the BKs dressed in black, smiling and giving drishti, in deep Yoga they are marching in the streets of my city and killing people at just one gaze.

    - I have a critical amount of self-respect, and very often I refuse myself to do something I am keen on, because I feel I don't deserve to it.

    - I am not able to love a human and I am afraid to let others to be loved (although I love my cat and care for her very, very much). After I escape the BKs, I find myself some kind a sociopath. And that extreme feeling of shame. Paralyzing. Freezing.

    - I am not able to make a relationship. Two of mine were completely disaster, and my partners just exploited me because I let them to do just the same way I was letting the BKs to treat me like their slave. That doesn't make sense anymore.

    - I don't trust anyone. I am not able to enjoy my life at all.

    - I fear of the future, as the visions of Destruction I still have in my head, don't let me to plan anything.
I JUST HATE THOSE BLOODY DEMONS FROM HELL, THEY CALLED THEMSELVES ANGELS! HOPE THEY SUFFER THAT MUCH FOR ALL THOSE DISGUSTING AND MEAN THINGS THEY DID!!!

I am sorry for such a long post. There is still so much anger and pain inside me.

Take care.
User avatar

Mr Green

ex-BK

  • Posts: 1877
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Re: BK and corruption - really?

Post29 Jun 2013

Thank you so much for sharing, people like you make this forum worthwhile!

ex.brahma

  • Posts: 79
  • Joined: 02 Aug 2012

Re: BK and corruption - really?

Post30 Jun 2013

enlightened, raistlin

Deeply touching stories. Many thanks for sharing them. Hope those on their way to get trapped will benefit from them, and reconsider before they get further soaked into BK cult destructive teachings.

Both experiences started at a very young age, which makes the exit more difficult and paifull, and leaves deeper psychological scars.

I also have a suggestion to ex-l, to open a new forum, in addition to the existing ones, possibly under the title "Testimonies of exiting BKs " to include above stories and other previous stories now listed under different forums ..!!!
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Re: BK and corruption - really?

Post30 Jun 2013

Classic post. Absolute no apologies from the author required. That is what we are here for. It is heart breaking because it rings so true to so many's experience.

What is amazing is that you have had so many of these experiences and survived it! I mean, normally most BKs have about 30 % of them and that is enough; some have killed themselves because of it and many have come near to it. You show how incapable, irresponsible and unknowledgeful the cult is.

Funnily, some BKs over in the BKs' forum are very angry at me because I question whether the state of mind of the leaders is psychopathic. Pink Panther questioned that and suggested sociopathic would be a better word. Of course, they are both close. You describe almost perfect how you were led and encouraged into that state of mind whilst being denied alternative, external influences that would have recognised that and perhaps helped stop matters develop so far and lead you back to health.

Incidentally, the matter you record of disturbing dreams is my now means unique either. Apart from reports on this forum and private messages, I have had correspondence from individuals all over the world ex- and non-BKs report exactly the same. I have had similar myself. So many individuals' sub-consciousnesses reporting back cannot be ignored.

ex-brahma ... indeed, we have a topic for "classic posts" and a page has been made precisely for "Testimonies" on the front/main site. If you or anyone else can report 'classic posts' and outstanding testimonies I am sure they can be moved. I agree with suggestion, the forum just needs more help and more people working on it together.

raistlin

ex-BK

  • Posts: 47
  • Joined: 10 Sep 2009
  • Location: Planet Earth

Re: My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post30 Jun 2013

Hello.

Thank you very much to everybody for your compassion and understanding. I really appreciate that.

I am grateful that I successfully managed to write it here as the BKs "cursed me" and made me unable to share with my BK experience to anyone. I know that this may sound real crazy, but I FEEL EXACTLY AS IF THEY CAST SOME SPELL ON ME TO BE SURE THAT MY MOUTH WILL ALWAYS BE SHUT. When I start telling my story, I usually get stuck in the BKs at UN bulls**t; peace activity, positive thinking etc, and the typical "Stockholm syndrome" quickly appears. I start to whitewash the organization and I look for excuses, e.g. ''yes, they happen to harm people, but surely they are not aware of what they are doing, like some little children who pull a cat's tail just for fun, and they don't realize that it may hurt the animal, because the adults did not explained that to them before...", and so on.

And the excuses increase with every next attempt to try to tell anybody of my BK experience - I am stuck, and I cannot go any further. It is stronger than me.

I tried many times to write down my testimony as well, just to show it later to someone - I couldn't. It scares me.

I am sorry, I cannot participate the discussion today. Posting my testimony here cost me a lot, I still cannot stop shaking - I feel like a big jelly at the moment, but, don't worry, except that I am OK.

Take care.
User avatar

enlightened

ex-BK

  • Posts: 208
  • Joined: 30 Aug 2007

Re: My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post30 Jun 2013

How come the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University cross the personal boundaries of so many human beings?

How is this even possible? And how do they get away with crossing the boundaries of so many people?
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Re: My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post30 Jun 2013

Because they cross the boundaries of so many nations ... operating much like a criminal syndicate or mafia does with authentic looking front organizations ... thereby escape national laws. The problem is, they operate above and beyond legal systems.

Unlike other cults though, who have gone to excesses, they have kept their ambitions relative discrete and moderate.

You're much more likely to get away with stealing $20 from a million people than $20,000,000 from one person.

This is exactly how some mafias or unscrupulous multi-national corporation work, which is why I call their the gang, the 'Kirpalani Klan'.

The BKWSU does not exist ... it is just one of many fronts ... and the Kirpalani Klan are getting a lot more than $20 off everyone.

If you were to place all the victims in one country, or one state of India, it would be easy to see it and it would be stamped out, but because they have spread their influence over so many countries, their victims are equally spread out and the national authorities have little power over them.

One could actually ask if it is a sort of 'highly intelligent evil', that portrays itself as religion, based on fairly common but effective business sense?

It may well be that, statistically, victims are inherent in *any* structure or organization made up of so many human beings. By removing highly exacerbating influences (drink, drugs, sex) and spreading it widely rather than building it tall, they have diluted the abusive effect so it is not seen.

But, cumulatively, it is just the same or worse.
User avatar

Pink Panther

  • Posts: 1885
  • Joined: 14 Feb 2013

Re: My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post02 Jul 2013

Dear Raistlin,

Rage away. Cry out for your lost years, your lost mother, your late Father, but do not cry out for any lost future, for that is still being written. A future is lost only when it is confused with the past. Your rage is the shadow of your love.

I hope you still trust in your ability to heal, to let time and tide wash away the pain. And I hope you understand that pain signals life, and the journey that must be taken. It would be worse to be numb, unfeeling, unthinking.

We each have our own way of going through it, but it always helps to have help and support from others. As has been discussed on forum many times, real people, whether a wise uncle, a counselor, an old friend, anyone you trust and can talk to unconditionally is worthwhile. Forum chat is good only up to a point, and we are always here. Real human faces, touch, expression are another thing.

Laughter and an active lifestyle is the most effective therapy for depression (and that's been actually scientifically researched!!). Purposeful routine is a stabiliser. Boredom and melancholy cannot exist where there is curiosity and imagination.

Just as the christians say - hate the sin, not the sinner - so too, we only curse ourselves if we overly-identify with our past experiences. That is, these things 'happened to' you, they are "what you went through" but are not you.

To feel what happened to us is "unfair" is to think that somehow we "deserved" better, that bad things should only happen to others (just like BKs think only others get sucked into cults). Yes you were in a vulnerable state and your mother mistakenly thought she was helping. That was the situation. Now you know better, now what?

In Zen they ask "what next?" and the answer is another question "what now?"

Parsifal only matured to become the worthy hero of the Grail myth when the undershirt his mother gave him as a reminder of her was shredded through his many trials & errors and finally discarded.

There was a topic on another exBKchat forum called something like "The value of being normal" - looking at the idea that part of the BK/ex-BK syndrome is this idea of being "special". Many do not seek help because they think that somehow the BK experience is unique, unlike other cult experiences, addictive behaviours or relationship fraud.

We need to come to terms with the fact that we are all potentially suckers, we have been self-deluding (for all scammers rely on the victim's desire to trust) and that we are no more nor less significant than the trees, the stars, the flower and the bug. Feel our way through the myriad thoughts and emotions that we use to define ourselves.

Laughter and activity. And compassion ... Compassion: Insight Delivered by a Napping Dog.

Oliver

  • Posts: 58
  • Joined: 21 May 2013

Re: My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post02 Jul 2013

enlightened wrote:How come the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University cross the personal boundaries

In my experience, it does seem that the BKs create an illusion where when there is an element of suffering of unhappiness ... we have to take the blame. Some people may say, once you go past the Honeymoon Period, it is up to the students to make effort, I say that rubbish. In my day, we were told as long as you make effort listen to Seniors and the BK god, then you're on a journey like no other. If its goes wrong and there's is suffering, then it's our fault.

They, the BKs, cross personal boundaries, as it's motivated by money and cultish attitudes of control.
raistlin wrote:Hello.

Thank you very much to everybody for your compassion and understanding. I really appreciate that.

Thank you for sharing your experience.

kmanaveen

  • Posts: 81
  • Joined: 13 Jun 2013

Re: My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post02 Jul 2013

"Laughter and an active lifestyle is the most effective therapy for depression".

This one is my attempt for you Raistlin..

BK He and She are both living in a big apartment building in London. One day they meet in a retreat and instantly fall in love with each other, but they don't make any contact. This goes on for six months until He just cannot bear the tension anymore and asks her to come to his apartment for a drink. Hesitatingly, She says yes, and as soon as they reach his flat, they close the door behind them and rush into the bedroom and throw themselves on the bed.

After a few minutes, He explains with a hoarse voice, "Listen, I am very sorry, but if I had known that you were a virgin, I would have taken more time."

She replies, "Well, if I had known that you had more time, I would have taken my pants off!"

Cheers to the life!

raistlin

ex-BK

  • Posts: 47
  • Joined: 10 Sep 2009
  • Location: Planet Earth

Re: My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post02 Jul 2013

Hi. Thanks a lot to all of you for your support.

Kmanaveen, you made my day! :D
User avatar

AntiBrahmakumaris

  • Posts: 19
  • Joined: 12 Nov 2014

Re: My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post12 Nov 2014

My aunt's husband has died because of tension of meaningless family.

He was a rich man ... but BK people trapped my aunty, they brainwashed her ... broke her family ... My uncle was not able to sustain this, he died.

All property worth millions was taken by Brahmakumaris and now my aunty is a free servant to all BK activities. Her children are also being forcefully taken into this cult.
User avatar

Mr Green

ex-BK

  • Posts: 1877
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Re: My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post12 Nov 2014

raistlin wrote:- I lost my identity, my self-respect, I lost my friends, I lost my books I loved to read, the BKs killed my passion, as I was passionate in creating computer music before my mother pulled me in, they disallowed me to think, to criticize, to have common sense - all this was "useless" and were obstacles in the path on the spiritual enlightenment.

Can just say, I think you're wrong in that, they did not kill your passion. You will find it! Whatever you become as a person that's fine and cool.

Take it well easy.

Misstks

  • Posts: 4
  • Joined: 13 Nov 2014

Re: My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post15 Nov 2014

Hi there,

I have to thank you guys.
I was almost being part of BK.
I was so in love with the whole "sparkling light" beings culture.
Fortunately, surfing the web for more information on techniques, and full of enthusiasm I stumble over this forum.
I have spent a whole day reading and reading, and thinking ... and coming back to read some more.
You made me realize how fool, naive, gullible, ... I was.
I feel so betrayed by those who sold me the ideia of a perfect relationship with God.
I felt hurt for a while, full of deception, ... now I am feeling better.
Not enough words to say "thank you".

I need to advise you that:
    - English is not my native language. So I hope you guys can get me. :-) If I am not making myself clear, please, tell me.
    - I have taken the "Beginning Class" (free)/"Spiritual Intelligence Class"(free)/"The Women 4 Faces Retreat" (for a very low fee)
    - nowadays I am attending to their "Practical Spirituality Classes" - each class work on a different issue. Not quite sure how regular I am going to be from now on ...
    - Since I am a beginner I am not attending the Murlis in my citty, but I read a lot of Murlis with a BK App (Hindi/ English)

Anyway ... since the "topic" is Pros and Cons I'de better write about what I realized so far.

Pros:
    - The "8 Power" or "8 Steps" technique (Anthony Strano has a wonderful book on it) is really interesting, it really makes sense and I took a lot of advantages in using it. Introspect/ Analyze all circumstances/ Decide/ Fell courage and brave enough to deal with the choice you've made/ Package the "old stuff" and move on with no regrets/ Adjust to the new circumstances/ tolarate the differences/ Cooperate
    - The "Inner Qualities" Idea is also wonderful. Even though I had the feeling that that material world doesn't fulfill us, the Ideia that all the wonderful qualities from God are inside of you (peace/ love/ purity/ truth/ etc.) is really confortising. This ideia is also on other filosofies. But none of them made it so clear as the BK did.
    - I really learned how to "open eye" meditate - this can be used for other much more interesting purposes than to "Baba" himself. For now, I am applaying the open eye meditation on the "Metatron's Cube". (I love Sacred Geometry!)
    - I still eat onions/ garlic, it is part of my country's regular diet. But I used to be vegetarian and they helped me get back to my old diet.
    - I really enjoyed some time on one of their retreat centers in my country, and I could spend sometime in nature. Since I am in dire straits, and my career is not in a good moment, they gave me a chance to experience nature, silence, peace.
    - As I am an easygoing person, too talkative, always making jokes (good mood/ good manners) it helped me to be more "closed"... more introspective, less interactive. It was a good experience to learn that.
    - It helped me get centered, calm down, quiet. This was such a wonderful medicine for tough times.
Cons:
    - I was not confortable with the ideia that hugging and kissing are a "bad thing". Give me a break.
    - I was not comfortable with the ideia of "celibacy" when you and your husband are part of the BK. (I am not married, but I simply couldn't get it). Regarding that matter, since the fist time I heard that I wondered "That Lekraj is smart. He found a way he wouldn't loose the girls ... so simple ... so easy to get ..." But this was ins 1936 ... It's 2014.
    - I coldn't get their "time cycle" (regarding periods of time) - dinosaurs/ ancient civilisations/ etc.
    - I believe in Ufos ... they are "Earth Centered". We are not alone in this universe.
    - I couldn't understand either that the "cycle" did not mean "evolution". How come everything wold be repeated, on and on again? The very same way ... I understand the entropy concept, but so far, I was totally unware of their "being the only one saved and living at the Golden Age". (such a lie!)
    - They say openly that everyone is a "light being", therefore we are all equal. (such lye!) If the world is divided into "pure" and "impure", what about then?
    - They spend such an amount of time/ effort on the "World Peace Project" ... (such a lie!). And they believe and are in favor of a WWIII ... How come? How can talk about peace and in side you HQ, you are totally expecting for the wold to explode - so they can be purified.
    - I simply don't get it ... All of this simplicity, no colors, no touching, no sight of vanity ... to live in a golden castle and be a deity in my next life? For what? This doens't really make my day ...
"I crave a different kind of bus ...
(...)
I will never be royal ..."

Peace,

Miss Tks
User avatar

ex-l

ex-BK

  • Posts: 10661
  • Joined: 07 Apr 2006

Re: My experience of the Brahma Kumaris: Pros and Cons

Post15 Nov 2014

I think the thing to remember is ... that despite generation after generation of mainly pacifist, non-violent, compassionate, spiritual Westerners coming forward and attempting to re-market the Brahma Kumaris, dressing them up in more spiritual or New Agey look, feminist, or even "corporate" look ... the message, motivation and attitudes at the core of BKism have NEVER changed and will NEVER change.

And not to confuse those attractive facades with the real core of BKism ... and it's paradoxes, e.g. a "Supreme God" who is ignorant an fallible, who makes predictions of the End of the World that fail (WWII, 1950, 1976, 1986, 1996 etc), who is the Father of Humanity but does not even know how many human beings there are and who chooses to surround himself, support and employ individuals who falsify, manipulate, cover up, re-write, break laws and so on; and has done so for decades.

Don't mistake the sugar icing for the turd that is inside it. Yes, the sugar icing is very sweet ... and "Free" ... but you don't want to eat what is inside. It will poison you.

People here have been involved in the BKs since the 1970s. They are seen it go through it various changes, they were part of how it changed. We know very well what they say and do, what it is all about ... some even tried to changed thing for the better but finally gave up because they realised that it was impossible to change, that the inner circle was prepared to allow some superficial re-marketing but hold on determinedly to the core beliefs; death of 7 billion human being through a Nuclear War they will inspire, the belief that they alone are supreme and above anyone else, and only they are going to go to rule Heaven.

Time and time again the predictions of the BK god spirit have failed. It is not reliable. It is not "God". There is no way to tell what its intentions really are but what is clear is the motivations of the organization; which are money, property and free labor.

The BK organization needs money, property and free labor.
The BK leaders depend on and need free money, free properties and free labor to live.

That is their continued motivation and has been for a long time. To that end, they will take and use anything, any belief, any one and have learned a skilful way of doing so.

Fine, if you believe humanity should be wiped off the planet ... "purified" ... and that you are mentally powerful enough to do so ... join the Brahma Kumaris and learn to lie well.

That is the bottom line. Everything else is just PR, marketing and manipulation.

Yes, you might experience a short period of a high they call "The Honeymoon Period - but it will wear off. Yes, you might experience the odd interesting psychic experience. Yes, living in a focused, disciplined lifestyle will help organize your life ... like being in an army.

But don't fool yourself what the BKs are about and throw away your life feeding them.
Next

Return to Newcomers

cron