BK Anthony Strano dead

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shanti

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post29 Jul 2014

I appreciate Pink Panther's obituary and this conversation about Anthony Strano.

I've been out of the BK scene for quite some time but I liked Anthony, so a few years ago I went to his talk and was shocked by his appearance. He looked so ill. It must have been a terrible virus. I may be wrong but I feel because of his position he was caught between towing the party line and developing and expressing his full potential.

Anyway he is liberated now. RIP.
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Pink Panther

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post29 Jul 2014

Save Innocents wrote:It is said if person dies with sudden heart attacks or any other sudden & unexpected untimely death( like in accidents), then his next incarnation is not a good one.

It is also said that if a person dies, that’s it. There is no "next incarnation”.
It is also said the dead lie in their graves till the ”judgement day” then go to Hell or heaven, which is why cremation is anathema.
And so on.
There are many other things "said”.
One may be true, none may be true, more than one may be true, all may be true, they may take turns being true!
It may be that whatever you believe happens after death happens! So be careful what you wish for. You may only get 2500 years of joy.
Take your pick who’s "said" you want to go with.

As for my analogy about boys and chimpanzees, that is not directed at any individual, nor meant to be disrespectful to Anthony Strano. It was meant to be about any one of us, but especially "spiritual teachers" who are merely doing, perceiving what many others have done/perceived before what comes naturally you might say ;-) and described it in their own language, but still think themselves as being the first (or the last, or the ultimate)...
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ex-l

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post29 Jul 2014

Are the BKs paying for his body to be shipped back to Australia, or will his real family have to do so?

I struggled to size up Strano as a fish. I could agree that within the BK world, he was a medium sized fish ... dependant on the amount of income he brought in, and adherents he had enculted (the two being closely connected).

What other value system do the BKs have? It's certain not one based on honesty, accuracy and integrity. It's based on marketing abilities. I would even go as far as to say "serviceable" within Brahma Kumarism means, "submissive, and a willingness to lie, to turn a blind end and to keep up the facade".

Of course, the ability to pull or hold VIP contacts also adds brownie points to an individuals ... but not that much I think, as they don't commit and often drop the BKs later.

But in real world terms, Strano did not even make minnow on the fish scale.

The point I am making is, that despite all the BKs self-made aggrandisement and all the self-trumpeting of their global greatness ... even the best intellects amongst them, and I would say Strano counted as one of them ... have not made any great contribution or gained any recognition at all in the real world. They've become the producers of New Agey and Corporate Coaching consumer items, and that is about all. The only "miracle" they have produced is profits for the BKWSU to run on. Very little to no benefit for the real world.

Stranos books are here (Amazon) and here (BK's own shop).

Looking at them briefly, they are firstly disingenuously contradictory, e.g. to sell BKism ... which is his aim ... he fluffs up Christ, Mohammed and Buddha ... but by referencing beliefs about them that BKism itself refutes. Secondly, they follow the same basic structure as those vague introductory talks we used to give a public lectures intended on suck newcomers deeper into BKs by portraying it as more worldly, open-minded, "spiritual" and appreciative of others philosophy than it actually it.

That is ...
Wah ... wah ... wah ... St Francis of Asissi ... wah ... wah ... wah ... Fritjof Capra ... wah ... wah ... wah ... Alchemy ... wah ... wah ... wah ... Brahma KUMARISM!!!

He also falsely represents BKism by referring ancient Greek beliefs (why are ancient automatically things somehow better?), referring to "ancient Greek beliefs" about Cycles and Creators.

Now, what he was doing there is false because the ancient Greeks had numerous beliefs about time and creation, not one and they certainly did not believe in the BKs' creator or creation myth. The "ancient Greeks" would have torn to pieces BKism, intellectually, and probably physically too. So what is he doing ...?

What he was doing follows the structure of a "long con". In short, he prostituted his intellectual gifts - given to him by his real parents - and lent them to the Brahma Kumaris confidence tricksters. Presumably to get what he wanted ... to act out a religious life ... without the hardships signing up for a real religious order would have entailed.

A "long con" is a kind of confidence trick or scam that unfolds over lengthy period of time and involves a team of swindlers as well as props, sets, extras, costumes, and scripted lines. It is one that aims to rob the victim of large sums of money and property, even from their family members by first gaining their confidence and exploiting typical characteristics of the human psyche such as vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility, naïveté, or greed.

I never heard Strano speak out - and certainly never write - about ethical issues related to the BKWSU. He knew which side his bread was buttered within the BK system.

I can imagine his dislike at you, probably someone he saw below himself, pulling him up on such a faulted construction as he made.

Did his entire income come from donors in Greece and Hungary? Did he work full-time for the BKWSU? Did he take "wages" from his writing on their behalf?

On Huffington, they say ...
Anthony Strano

Anthony is an Italian-Australian living in Athens, Greece. He is a writer, teacher and traveler. He is a member of the Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University, an NGO based In Rajasthan, India. He directs their meditation centers throughout Greece and Hungary and their activities in Cyprus, Bulgaria. He has practiced Raja Yoga meditation for the past 35 years and has travelled to over 40 countries to conduct seminars and retreats.

He, together with a group of young Greek people, have created on-line meditation courses for use across Greece. This same group, as part of the Brahma Kumaris Environment Initiative, has created The Green Angel Initiative as a way to awaken respectful awareness towards Nature. They are also setting up a blog to coordinate various activities concerning the original spirit of the Olympian, Pythian, Isthmian, Nemean Games in Greece. Their aim is to bring out the Games’ modern relevance to Greece particularly in terms of values .

I also do not think it is true that he has created the BKs' Green Angel Initiative. I am pretty sure that came from elsewhere in the movement.

More largely meaningless and valueless smoke and mirrors ... from a smoke generator.

Here is his last blog post on Huffington ... what value has this even from the BK point of view?

Save Innocents

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post29 Jul 2014

Pink Panther wrote:It is also said that if a person dies, that’s it. There is no ”next incarnation”.

Right. Even this theory is very nice, I went through it & found it nicely placed. It says that do good deeds here as judgement after death occurs without bias, being resultant of total good & bad bad deeds that we do here. That is good. Moral of both theory is same that one should live rightfully, i.e. without hurting even a single living being through mind, body, speech, intellect & ego.

So, as you said there are many other things propagated and I think we can accept anyone & choose only correct things out of it. I mean something which does not harm anyone else, unlike BKism.

Save Innocents

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post29 Jul 2014

Ex I wrote:Are the BKs paying for his body to be shipped back to Australia, or will his real family have to do so?

As far as their policy indicate, all charges for body transfer & everything else has to be paid, commonly, by the relatives of that person. It may vary for special candidates who have brought tremendous fan following & money.
Now, what he was doing there is false because the ancient Greeks had numerous beliefs about time and creation, not one and they certainly did not believe in the BKs' creator or creation myth. The "ancient Greeks" would have torn to pieces BKism, intellectually, and probably physically too. So what is he doing ...?

But that is what they have done with all kinds of beliefs & customs. Steal knowledge of other belief, append BKism to it & print Murlis according to the new data claiming that old belief is wrong & we give you its right interpretation. And this whole things appears differently in market, through media, where they support the original belief & try to prove that BKism is also in sync with that belief or tradition. Double standards is common to BK system.
Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University, an NGO

What is it exactly, NGO or University or Religious org or Spiritual org or a rehabilitation center?

Undoubtedly, it is not a NPO (non profit organisation).
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ex-l

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post30 Jul 2014

Save Innocents wrote:What is it exactly, NGO or University or Religious org or Spiritual org or a rehabilitation center?

Undoubtedly, it is not a NPO (non profit organisation).

That made me laugh ... it's certainly not.

It's a VPO ... (Very Profitable Organization), selling nothing for multi-millions and accruing a vast property portfolio out of slightly modified second hand ideas with a bit of spiritualism ... not spirituality ... thrown in to spice them up; and mostly self-hypnotism, to dumb things down.

Thank you Shanti for bringing us back to a fair and reasonable point ... had Anthony been pushed more, he may have achieved far greater things. Instead he was reduced to the level of a marketing man or sales manager. Did he sell out for a position within the BKWSU? His own little Kingdom in old Macedonia?

So, have the BKs offered his family his corpse back ... at their own cost ... having emptied it of life?
Pink Panther wrote:There are many other things "said". Take your pick who’s "said" you want to go with.

As for my analogy about boys and chimpanzees ... it was meant to be about any one of us, but especially "spiritual teachers" who ... think themselves the first (or the last, or the ultimate).

The BKs, by which - as usual - I use to point the finger at the inner circle, have a habit to reducing everything down to such a simplistic level and representing it falsely, whether it is Hindu or any other philosophic tradition.

"The Ancient Greeks" did not think one simple thing and more than the Hindus did. Strano would have known this. Why was he preaching the opposite? Why is he praised for having done so? What does this say to other BKs?

Do as Anthony has done and you too will be praised as him?

But nearly 40 years as a pioneering BK is far more difficult surroundings than India and what does he get from the system? Not even worthy of being called back. That's a bit of a slap in the face ... and a warning flag to other Western BKs.

That is longer than Mama (Om Radhe) and many other senior Indian BKs, who will be buried and celebrated with full honours by the Shiv Shakti Army.

Save Innocents

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post30 Jul 2014

Now as he is dead, he is out of whole BK cultic family. So may his soul never again get near to any other BK & may, in his next life (if possible in his belief), he come to understands human emotions, their value & also the cheap game that BK play with others.

May he (in his next life) will teach everyone about the wrong beliefs instilled by BKs to followers who joined that dark system through his medium when he was alive & known to everyone as "Anthony Strano". It's just circumstances which pushed him to do such a crime in this birth, or why would a person leave his happy, peaceful life?
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ex-l

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post30 Jul 2014

For many BKs who have committed or surrendered themselves to the cult ... death is the only way out and must come as a relief.

I was going to write, only "honourable" way out but that would be wrong. There is nothing dishonourable about just leaving and rejecting the Brahma Kumari leadership. Indeed, given what we have exposed about them, it is the only honourable thing to do. No trully spiritual person, or person committed to an ethical life, could suffer them and the compromises they demand.

But it would be too humiliating for many of the 'faces' within BKism. And what else do they have outside to go to? The BK leadership encouraged individuals like Strano to destroy their lives, forgo other relationships, and not develop in any other way outside the religion. For someone like Strano ... where would he go and what would he do? "Ex-cult leader" does not look too great in one's CV, and his intellectual development was too stymied by BKism for too long to be of any use elsewhere.

BK Brian Bacon, and more recently BK Miriam Subirana, are two such BK 'faces' that did step out, to some degree, re-invent themselves, and take a bit of the business with them, but they are rare cases. Most, I suspect, stick within BKism long after their real faith in it has evaporated ... because they have nothing else and no one else in their lives.

The next such 'face' to go will be Sister Denise. Denise Lawrence, another original Western BK. She gave up everything for the BKs but, to me, it looked as if she was never quite accepted as an Indian Sister would be. She'll be getting on now. It was reported some years ago that she's already suffering one sort of physical or nervous breakdown and, apparently, had to go back to her real family to take time out.

Sadly, we lost the other intellectual BK, Wendy Smith, a couple of years ago. She was a half decent egg who could have actually made a difference. In fact, we've lost a few good decent Western BKs.

I would really like an independent "mediumship" of their souls and hear of their sentiments at their time of death and their experiences afterwards ... if such things actually exist.

However, I would not trust the BKs 'cotton candy' trance medium versions one inch.

I wonder if Denise will be granted 'full honors' at death or whether evens he will be dumped back on "her lokiks"?

Advice to active BKs ... put it all in writing and get any "surrender" agreement with the BKs in full and detailed writing. Get a non-BK lawyer to write one out for you, e.g. ask what happens if I get sick, what happens when I die ...how many holidays will I get off and so on. Ask how many years do I have to work before I can retire and where will I live when I do? *

Don't leave it up to the Kirpalani Klan's whim or you and your family will get shafted.


* The only BK retirement home I know of so far is a commercial operation you have to pay, and pay far more than average Indians could afford. There's no retirement homes for Western BKs and, so far, the Brahma Kumaris have been quite happy to dump their old on local services and welfare systems to be looked after, e.g. in London.

BKism is a pyramidic numbers game and only a tiny minority will ever be able to receive such benefits from it. Not breeding, and depending on parasitically feeding of society for new members, it lacks sufficient numbers at the lower end of its demographics to support the old and sick at the top end.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

warrior

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post30 Jul 2014

Nine days after that conference he left the body.

Video is as a tribute to Anthony:

warrior

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post30 Jul 2014

This was the last open lecture in Baba's Center in Rio de Janeiro, before his trip to Salvador-Bahia, where his left his Chariot less than 72 hours later.
He was talking about the eight powers and gratitude.
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ex-l

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post30 Jul 2014

It's weird ... it's almost as if Anthony Strano has been morphing into Dadi Janki. His face, his mannerism, the two person translation act ... even his androgyny.

There's nothing really new or deep coming out of his mouth there. The slowness of delivery and pause taking the place of profundity ... it's the same old stuff the BKs have been spinning out for 40 years. Is there an air of smugness or aloofness there? I am not sure ... but he comes across like he thinks he is talking to really stupid people and speaking s-l-o-w-l-y so they can understand.

He says, "never blame anyone for anything" ...

In Brazil, as and where he was speaking to the upper middle class adherents, literally hundreds of thousands of people ... including vulnerable children, the sick and the elderly (and most with darker skin - note the light skin of the BK adherents) ... were being made homelessness through forced removal to make way for recent World Cup, which has just finished. Al Jazeera network reported that over a quarter million people were been forcibly removed from their homes via and threatened, even by armed police and their own army at gunpoint.

The government officials destroyed entire neighbourhoods of homes, tearing them down to build a highway for the FIFA World Cup leaving families devastated with nowhere to live. Forced into the streets, the elderly have been sleeping on the rubble left behind from the demolition of their residences fated to make way for car parks which were not even used.

Brazil has Indian scale poverty and social inequality, and caste.

In some cases, families were given just five days to evacuate, and were offered little to no compensation in exchange for the properties they once owned. In one case, 22,000 families that were pushed out of their Favela (shanty town) homes, simply because of they had valuable "sea view" the government wanted for visitors.

Did the BKs have anything to say about it? I wonder how Anthony's the BKs wisdom went down with the victims?

Oh ... how silly of me. It did not. The BKs and their god spirit aren't interested in the impure, dark skinned poor, and their petty "karmic" problems.
    It's all their own fault!!! And they are going to be destroyed anyway!!! "Flies on the dung heap" of life, at the "fag end" of The Cycle of Time in BK terms (those are exact BK terms)
"Be detached, be soul conscious, remember Baba ... don't blame the government for knocking your home down or chasing World cup money; don't blame the bankers, politicians and rich capitalists for their policies (we need them to pay us for corporate coaching programmes) ... and most of all, don't blame the religious institutions that dragged your ancestors from Africa as slaves and then dumped them in South America (because we want to take their place as the religious elite)".

Honestly folks ... "greatness"? Great what?
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shanti

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post31 Jul 2014

I respect the free will of those who choose to practice Raja Yoga, however it concerns me that there is so much illness and premature death amongst the Westerners. The relentless pursuit of perfection combined with many beliefs that polarize the mind into them and us, must lead to stress.

Is it so wrong to think that the body needs to be cared for and nurtured? I think it's just common sense.

I've heard that even some orders of nuns these days take annual holidays.

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post31 Jul 2014

"I respect the free will of those who choose to practice Raja Yoga"

Shanti, actually it should be BK RajYoga, which differs totally from actual RajYoga.

And you have correctly pointed out the need which is very much needed to be instilled in BK minds. They do not consider helping poors & needy as preferred goal, instead they highlight the need to build palaces (currently, large number of BK center are with all such luxuries to be called a palace).

It is not wrong to take care of body & be nurtured.

Look at BK Dadis they take care of their body more than others, sitting in air conditioned halls, traveling in AC installed vehicles etc etc. But they do not feel a pinch of guilt while asking other to leave all required things for nurturing our body.
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ex-l

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post31 Jul 2014

Save Innocents wrote:Shanti, actually it should be BK RajYoga, which differs totally from actual RajYoga.

Thank you for the correct, Save Innocents. I appreciate that. Yes, it should be BK RajYoga ... it evidence of the Brahma Kumaris arrogance and conceit that they go out purloining other traditions' established terminology, and claiming as their own.

It's like counterfeiting ... setting up a "MacFonalds" restaurant next door to a "McDonalds" restaurant just to try and catch some business from them.

I have no idea of Strano's health regime. They state he got into one too late in his life. But I can confirm that at the time he was young, the BKs had an absolute 'anti-health' regime. Doing anything that was not PR or evangelising for the cult, maintenance or driving for the Sisters in the centre was consider Maya. Anything health related was consider "health Bhakti" ... with the most dismissive of tones.

I know this for a fact. I have very clear memories of the 'put downs' from the Seniors Sisters about it. We were all expected to give up our health and "grind our bones" in service like we are were told Janki and the others did. I doubt they really did ... I think they must have spent a very long time doing absolutely nothing ... especially no work ... for at least 20 years.

As for the senior taking care of their health ... what you recount, SI, is comfort not health.

Your comments are fair, Shanti, and you are entitled to your own open position on the BKs.

As usual, we see no evidence of in depth discussion or factual details of Strano's life and death from them ... Just more mushy, gooey, clouding waffle. Who's next to go of the old crew? Ken ... Charlie ... I'd say old Neville Hodgkinson has kept himself at least thin. Not eating too much is good for health, and eating too much is certainly not sattvic.

And who is going to take Anthony's place as the King of BK Macedonia?

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Re: BK Anthony Strano dead

Post01 Aug 2014

They were doing nothing during beggary stage & still did not work for last 59-60 years after expansion of their organization. Till date, they acted like beggars though it is more modernized now. Asking for money from followers in another form like preaching them to donate so that they get birth in Satyug with more luxuries, etc are other forms in which they continue begging.

Let these BK say anything about health, there is always a time limit beyond which they all must be realizing that they have lost their actual wealth or health along with the gross wealth.

It is not difficult to know who will be next incharge as anyone who has skills to attract masses easily, more diplomatic in approach & most importantly that one who brought most revenue for BKWSU will be made head of the kingdom earlier ruled by Strano. And BK head will fool him/her again by telling that he/she has done more progress in last few years & is most suitable for the position. It's Baba's call, so you must attend it.
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