In the case of the artists' retreat, it appears to be a "proper" BK event. Even then, by the Maryadas, BKs are not supposed to accept money from non-BKs, and advertise that they do not, because of the "impure" vibrations attached to it. "
Voluntary contributions to participate in organizational costs will be accepted" could quite easily be interpreted as "
financial rewards are being solicited".
I agree that the promotion of such retreats
on the basis of the personalities involved benefits the individual's status and could transfer to increased professional worth as a celebrity whether in speaking, corporate consulting, selling their books or promoting their own person events. We have seen a trend of this within leading Western BKs. In my time, events were never publicised on the basis of the personalities involved and donations were never asked for.
Of course, the headquarters accepted donations from non-BKs all throughout its history and so my own personal interpretation of this rule is that, as practical as it might be to avoid trouble, it is equally of value in keeping the leadership and headquarters powerful through a centralisation of capital (money and property) and keeping up-and-coming individual BKs weak by disallowing them to build personal kingdoms within the leadership's BK Empire. I see Anthony's BK Byzantium-style Empire is currently listed as "Greece, Hungary and Turkey", although I thought Turkey was diplomatically carved up by Dadi Janki Kripalani between two "heads"; one for the European side and one for the Asian side.
BKWSU wrote:The retreat is organized by the BKWSU, and the coordinators of the Spanish zone offer to provide volunteer logistics. Voluntary contributions to participate in organizational costs will be accepted. The registration fee includes only the cost of living pension.
For four days, the price of the stay and the food is:
- 120 € per person in single room
- 90 € per person in double room
Posted: 06 Nov 2008