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?