One of the issues that has never left me, one in which I feel fully sympathetic to BK followers, is paraphrased in the title question, " if not this cult ... which cult? ".
In adding some domain names to this Forum's Links page above, I was looking over the pages at Rick Ross and many other anti cult websites. It was quite a deeply depressing and distasteful experience. From my point of view, the BK path is and should be seen and followed as an esoteric, and possibly occult, yogic practice. That is to say, one intended for or understood by only a small, prepared, particular group and recognised to have profound, deep effects upon the individual.
It should have been developed to manage those effects safely and the "Knowledge" understood at a deeper, often metaphorical or allegorical level. And, of course, developed further. In short, the BKWSU should have become the BKWSU, or a proper esoteric school. In my opinion, what has happened is that fairly universal spiritual knowledge and elements of the practise HAVE been taken, stolen if you like, stultified and the movement without any doubt turned into a populist cult. A Religio-Political cult as the founder himself stated.
I feel forced to accept that for a number of reasons BK Raja Yoga has been made into a cult rather than 'a practise' and this means that I have to face and accept the shame, and idiocy, of having been a cult member and look at overcoming it.
This has not been easy butlooking at the definitions given of what a cult is and the shared experiences of other non-related cult members, it is impossible NOT to be able to accept the very close similarities. From the mere matter of fact that involving any sizable group of human beings will bring onboard 'human luggage' [ or even animal instincts, e.g. pecking orders, pack instincts, outcasting ], to including the influence of certain individuals' obvious personal ambitions and unexpressed abilities or tendancies, it seems that BK Raja Yoga and the BKWSU has taken away from the source of its teaching andused for other more personal reasons. Or, as Sparkal questioned in one of his provocative posts, the will of so called BKs with political or guru sanskars from previous births.
OK. To paraphrase the Twelve Steps Plan of the Alcoholics Anonymous ... " My name is ex-l and I used to be a member of a cult ... I used to be such an addicted cult member that I converted others into become cult members, justified and encourages cult behaviour and defended the leaders of that cult ".
Fine. What is next? What is normal and acceptable? Who am I? Who do I become now? What is reality all about? Reading the 'ex-cult cults', and their leaders rants, I am even more sickened and depressed than I think I ever was at my lowest after Gyan.
Firstly, a number of clear patterns emerge. It seems that for every spiritual group or cult, there is an ex-cult; for every guru an accuser. The pattern and expression of the accusation seem very similar; sex, funny stuff with kids, breakdown of relationships, mental health issues. On the sides of this battlefield are two other self-interested parties ; the academics and anti-cult cults.
Now, the anti-cult movement, or cult, was first on the scene like hungry rabid dogs after a war and I have to accuse them the most; firstly, for being so ******* Amuhrikan they are unbelievable. I hope you can understand what I mean, I attempt to separate thoughful American from dumbass 'Ahmurikan' ; invariably born-again Christian, completely blind to the cult-like aspect of the American Dream, unquestionly mainstream, capitalist, bigotted, self-centred, aggressive, invasive and completely unaware and disinterested in others culture. Just like their nation's foreign policy.
Just pile on all the worst stereotypes of New Americans that you can imagine, these guys are fighting Satan for Ahmurikas Youth and if they were not, you get the feeling that they would be just as happy napalming gooks, whipping niggers, nuking commie and shooting long-haired, liberal pinko scum. EVERYONE that is not them IS A CULT!!! You name ... ITS A CULT!!! And they know that cults are full of gook-loving hippie, nigger, commie pinko scum. Just as America, the Land of the Extreme, has given us the most dangerous and whacko cults, it has also given us the most dangerous and whacko anti-cults. [ It has, of course, also turned it into a highly financially rewarding activity both for therapists and endless underemployed lawyers ]. I am talking about the de-programming, pop psychologist, snatch artists.
I look at Rick Ross's [ $200.00 per hour, average intervention costs about $3,750.00 in fees plus expenses, which are usually below $1,000 ] "Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader" and "Ten warning signs regarding people involved in/with a potentially unsafe group/leader" and say, " Yup ... " almost every one relates directly to the President of American and your average middle-American in my experience.http://www.rickross.com/warningsigns.html
This model has then been exported internationally, albeit in diluted form and with lower hourly rates, primarily by evangelical Christian individuals and organisations who has seen the "success", status and interest anti-cult cults have created in American. For the lack of any other better idea, or will to deal with real issues such as the environment, Third World Debt, the effects of Imperialism, they want to cash in on the action locally and create. They use the same fear/aggression/Pro-Good-Christian-White-Folks based language.
The dice are loaded like the Zionist - Anti-Zionist debate. If you utter a word against Israel, you are accused of being an anti-semite; for these people if you utter a word in favour of the unorthodox, you are scorned as a dangerous cult-apologist. We even have "anti-cult terrorism" engaging in "deviancy amplification spirals" now. And, no, they are not 5,000 year long. On to the back of this are the academics who have discovered rich fields of booty to gleen through. Just as the 70s seemed to be the heyday of the anti-cult, the 80s seem to have been a big business research funding dream for academics. The Godhead amongst the New Religion Movement - and close ally to the BKWSU - Sociologist Eileen Barker identifies five types of group ;
• cult-awareness groups (CAGs) focusing on the harm done by destructive cults
• counter-cult groups (CCGs) focusing on the (heretical) teaching of non-mainstream groups
• research-orientated groups (ROGs) focusing on beliefs, practices and comparisons
• human-rights groups (HRGs) focusing on the human rights of religious minorities
• cult-defender groups (CDGs) focusing on defending cults and exposing CAG
This model as well has been exported internationally so that for a few years some lucky academics in each and every developed nation seemed to have coined public funds to study the danger in their midsts. And after a short circuit of international conferences for them, this too has largely dried up it seems. At their side are the amateur scientist Skeptic Societies just chuckling facetiously at all the madness of it all, going, " poo-bah ... there is no Santa Claus ", and enjoying bursting the children's balloons. The lucky few of them making a bob or two out of magazines, conferences and magic shows.
Lastly, are the 'cult of media' fanning the flames madly in order to sell another book, magazine, run of papers and the intelligence departments of most developed nations digging the dirt to justify their funding to investigate these proto-dangerous terrorists. Yes, you believe it. Some CIA, MI5, KGB and MOSSAD spook has been down the BK Raja Yoga Inner Space shop to infiltrate the Brahma Kumaris. God, I wonder how long they got up at 4 am in the morning but at least they will take a birth or two in the Golden Age for their efforts. Of course, these guys have largely bailed out of the debate now that they have found - or funded - some real terrorists instead but it is funny to think that you might have sat down to teach Raja Yoga to an agent from SMERSH and Dadi force fed them toli. I wonder how they reported on the finer details of the Subtle Regions to their boss?
Meanwhile - back in the real world - the Planet Earth is still burning, pollution spreading, mad hydro-carbon politics drive us to the brink of World War, a billion people without adequate food, clothing or shelter ...OK. So I have left the cult, which cult do I join now? Do I just say, " What the hell! ", buy a gun and an SUV, start drinking beer, watch porn, invade a developing nation, rip off its natural resources - and go to church on a Sunday. Swallowing a glass of whatever the anti-cult cult members are brewing, I am heading back into the cult. It was far nicer in there. I had much better hopes for the future, the people were more interesting and amusing, no one was really sticking anything down my throat. I was doing it myself. I am happy to give up sex if that is the pay off. It is not such a big deal. So what is it that they are selling? They want to convert me out of my cult but into what? What is their cult all about?
There seems to be a tendency of human being to easily fall into ruts and follow other's tracks. There seem to be a lack of ruts to follow. Which one gets me out of here fast I have had enough of this!?!
In adding some domain names to this Forum's Links page above, I was looking over the pages at Rick Ross and many other anti cult websites. It was quite a deeply depressing and distasteful experience. From my point of view, the BK path is and should be seen and followed as an esoteric, and possibly occult, yogic practice. That is to say, one intended for or understood by only a small, prepared, particular group and recognised to have profound, deep effects upon the individual.
It should have been developed to manage those effects safely and the "Knowledge" understood at a deeper, often metaphorical or allegorical level. And, of course, developed further. In short, the BKWSU should have become the BKWSU, or a proper esoteric school. In my opinion, what has happened is that fairly universal spiritual knowledge and elements of the practise HAVE been taken, stolen if you like, stultified and the movement without any doubt turned into a populist cult. A Religio-Political cult as the founder himself stated.
I feel forced to accept that for a number of reasons BK Raja Yoga has been made into a cult rather than 'a practise' and this means that I have to face and accept the shame, and idiocy, of having been a cult member and look at overcoming it.
This has not been easy butlooking at the definitions given of what a cult is and the shared experiences of other non-related cult members, it is impossible NOT to be able to accept the very close similarities. From the mere matter of fact that involving any sizable group of human beings will bring onboard 'human luggage' [ or even animal instincts, e.g. pecking orders, pack instincts, outcasting ], to including the influence of certain individuals' obvious personal ambitions and unexpressed abilities or tendancies, it seems that BK Raja Yoga and the BKWSU has taken away from the source of its teaching andused for other more personal reasons. Or, as Sparkal questioned in one of his provocative posts, the will of so called BKs with political or guru sanskars from previous births.
OK. To paraphrase the Twelve Steps Plan of the Alcoholics Anonymous ... " My name is ex-l and I used to be a member of a cult ... I used to be such an addicted cult member that I converted others into become cult members, justified and encourages cult behaviour and defended the leaders of that cult ".
Fine. What is next? What is normal and acceptable? Who am I? Who do I become now? What is reality all about? Reading the 'ex-cult cults', and their leaders rants, I am even more sickened and depressed than I think I ever was at my lowest after Gyan.
Firstly, a number of clear patterns emerge. It seems that for every spiritual group or cult, there is an ex-cult; for every guru an accuser. The pattern and expression of the accusation seem very similar; sex, funny stuff with kids, breakdown of relationships, mental health issues. On the sides of this battlefield are two other self-interested parties ; the academics and anti-cult cults.
Now, the anti-cult movement, or cult, was first on the scene like hungry rabid dogs after a war and I have to accuse them the most; firstly, for being so ******* Amuhrikan they are unbelievable. I hope you can understand what I mean, I attempt to separate thoughful American from dumbass 'Ahmurikan' ; invariably born-again Christian, completely blind to the cult-like aspect of the American Dream, unquestionly mainstream, capitalist, bigotted, self-centred, aggressive, invasive and completely unaware and disinterested in others culture. Just like their nation's foreign policy.
Just pile on all the worst stereotypes of New Americans that you can imagine, these guys are fighting Satan for Ahmurikas Youth and if they were not, you get the feeling that they would be just as happy napalming gooks, whipping niggers, nuking commie and shooting long-haired, liberal pinko scum. EVERYONE that is not them IS A CULT!!! You name ... ITS A CULT!!! And they know that cults are full of gook-loving hippie, nigger, commie pinko scum. Just as America, the Land of the Extreme, has given us the most dangerous and whacko cults, it has also given us the most dangerous and whacko anti-cults. [ It has, of course, also turned it into a highly financially rewarding activity both for therapists and endless underemployed lawyers ]. I am talking about the de-programming, pop psychologist, snatch artists.
I look at Rick Ross's [ $200.00 per hour, average intervention costs about $3,750.00 in fees plus expenses, which are usually below $1,000 ] "Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader" and "Ten warning signs regarding people involved in/with a potentially unsafe group/leader" and say, " Yup ... " almost every one relates directly to the President of American and your average middle-American in my experience.http://www.rickross.com/warningsigns.html
This model has then been exported internationally, albeit in diluted form and with lower hourly rates, primarily by evangelical Christian individuals and organisations who has seen the "success", status and interest anti-cult cults have created in American. For the lack of any other better idea, or will to deal with real issues such as the environment, Third World Debt, the effects of Imperialism, they want to cash in on the action locally and create. They use the same fear/aggression/Pro-Good-Christian-White-Folks based language.
The dice are loaded like the Zionist - Anti-Zionist debate. If you utter a word against Israel, you are accused of being an anti-semite; for these people if you utter a word in favour of the unorthodox, you are scorned as a dangerous cult-apologist. We even have "anti-cult terrorism" engaging in "deviancy amplification spirals" now. And, no, they are not 5,000 year long. On to the back of this are the academics who have discovered rich fields of booty to gleen through. Just as the 70s seemed to be the heyday of the anti-cult, the 80s seem to have been a big business research funding dream for academics. The Godhead amongst the New Religion Movement - and close ally to the BKWSU - Sociologist Eileen Barker identifies five types of group ;
• cult-awareness groups (CAGs) focusing on the harm done by destructive cults
• counter-cult groups (CCGs) focusing on the (heretical) teaching of non-mainstream groups
• research-orientated groups (ROGs) focusing on beliefs, practices and comparisons
• human-rights groups (HRGs) focusing on the human rights of religious minorities
• cult-defender groups (CDGs) focusing on defending cults and exposing CAG
This model as well has been exported internationally so that for a few years some lucky academics in each and every developed nation seemed to have coined public funds to study the danger in their midsts. And after a short circuit of international conferences for them, this too has largely dried up it seems. At their side are the amateur scientist Skeptic Societies just chuckling facetiously at all the madness of it all, going, " poo-bah ... there is no Santa Claus ", and enjoying bursting the children's balloons. The lucky few of them making a bob or two out of magazines, conferences and magic shows.
Lastly, are the 'cult of media' fanning the flames madly in order to sell another book, magazine, run of papers and the intelligence departments of most developed nations digging the dirt to justify their funding to investigate these proto-dangerous terrorists. Yes, you believe it. Some CIA, MI5, KGB and MOSSAD spook has been down the BK Raja Yoga Inner Space shop to infiltrate the Brahma Kumaris. God, I wonder how long they got up at 4 am in the morning but at least they will take a birth or two in the Golden Age for their efforts. Of course, these guys have largely bailed out of the debate now that they have found - or funded - some real terrorists instead but it is funny to think that you might have sat down to teach Raja Yoga to an agent from SMERSH and Dadi force fed them toli. I wonder how they reported on the finer details of the Subtle Regions to their boss?
Meanwhile - back in the real world - the Planet Earth is still burning, pollution spreading, mad hydro-carbon politics drive us to the brink of World War, a billion people without adequate food, clothing or shelter ...OK. So I have left the cult, which cult do I join now? Do I just say, " What the hell! ", buy a gun and an SUV, start drinking beer, watch porn, invade a developing nation, rip off its natural resources - and go to church on a Sunday. Swallowing a glass of whatever the anti-cult cult members are brewing, I am heading back into the cult. It was far nicer in there. I had much better hopes for the future, the people were more interesting and amusing, no one was really sticking anything down my throat. I was doing it myself. I am happy to give up sex if that is the pay off. It is not such a big deal. So what is it that they are selling? They want to convert me out of my cult but into what? What is their cult all about?
There seems to be a tendency of human being to easily fall into ruts and follow other's tracks. There seem to be a lack of ruts to follow. Which one gets me out of here fast I have had enough of this!?!