human being wrote:But let me assure you that BKs, by no stretch of imagination, are a representative of Indian civilization in a similar fashion as KKK in USA is not a representative of ancient Greco-Roman civilization.
It would be interesting to have a view of the BKs are they are from a younger and Indian person.
Aren't they mostly old ladies now? One of the thing that surprised me doing this forum is how politically conservative (Right wing) they seem to be aligned.
I'll tell you, briefly, how I got caught. I was just about to go to India to find out what India was like myself. In a naive manner, and no doubt influences by 1960s hippie/spirituality, to "seek the master" ... as in to explore Indian spirituality/mysticism. Who knows, I might have just ended up sitting around with hippies ... I don't know.
Had I got there, I am utterly sure my 'world vision' - and view of India and spirituality - would have been very different; however, I never did.
I had read many of the Victorian/Edwardian translations of the classic scriptures, like Patanjali's Raja Yoga (interest in spirituality was not so common them). As "preparation" I started going to see some of the 'Hindu-esque' gurus and groups that were markering their stuff in the West ... and perhaps 4th or 5th on my list were the BKs.
Instead of getting to India and doing it for real, I ended up being sucked into the Brahma Kumaris for a few years (couple of years hardcore/few years 50:50). At that time, the End of the World was in 1986 or 1986 to 1996 (and there were no forums like this) and so I ended up a little trapped for longer even as an ex-BK, not moving on because of the old "what if?" equation.
It would be interesting older ex-BKs to re-consider the version of "Indianisms" the BKs sold them. Many Western BKs adopted a kind of semi-Indian personality; e.g. the clothes and funny accent, wobbly head and flicky hand mannerism typical of many guru-types.
I don't think old age really afford one authority over others (you just end up forgetting more than you know ... you need to start forgetting as your head and heart would break if you had to carry it all!) ... just considered how much the world - nevermind just India - has changed in the last 25/30 years.
So when you say, "I don't know India", I'd have to ask, "which India?". I don't know ... I probably have a better feel of Victorian/Edwardian India than present day!
I have no special strategy or intuition regarding boneheaded BKs, my patience is just exhausted with them. I've have 10 years of the same crap time and time again. I've become intolerant.
They are addicted idiots. Reason does not work. Perhaps just telling them might. In person, I am a little more patient.