How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly income?

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ex-l

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How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly income?

Post20 Feb 2010

In India, the BKWSU has a reputation for being "stinking rich" and, at one point, came under scrutiny from the Indian Tax Service leading to the removal or hiding of cash donation boxes. (I do not have an update on the current situation). We saw something in the India Tax Service records relating to "investments".

Can any Brahma Kumari follower supply answers to the following simple questions?

    • How much money does the BKWSU have (including the value of its properties and land)?

    • How much money does it make per year (total, by country, or by center)?

    • How, where and in what does it invest its savings?

    • How much does it have in cash reserves?

    • What proportion of its finances are accounted for legally and go through the records, and what proportion are just taken personally by various teachers and leaders or spent on an ad hoc unofficial basis, e.g. at local centers?

    • What additional sums are spent by adherents on BK service?

    • How much money does Madhuban, and other main centers, re-distribute to other centers ... and how it is decided?

    • Who makes the financial decisions and by what system?

    • Does it pay life insurance, pensions etc for its leaders?
If you do not know the answers to these questions, why not? Why cannot you ask? Why won't they tell you? Why are they not made public even to their own followers?

Thanks.

questionauthority

questioning BK

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly income?

Post21 Feb 2010

Truth needs to come out. Yes, we need to know these details.

deniedhusband

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly income?

Post08 Apr 2010

One can compute the average operating cost of a centre by the sq-ft that it occupies.

I am a regular visitor of ISKON at Watford. I've never felt uninvited or scorned upon. However, the 2 times I've been to the centre in Dollis Hill, it was a feeling of "how come this lot are freeloading here"!

The org lives off broken families and their inheritance ... period.

As someone had said in one of the posts I read here, their body language betrays their conscious thoughts and beliefs ... hypocrites!
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alladin

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the boy who cried wolf

Post11 Apr 2010

For your entertainment and enlightenment: The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

Any person who claims to be sane and even wise, would not create false alarms, since they can have a devastating boomerang effect. Unless the person has some agenda. In the case we are examining, the noble purpose is that of convincing people to shift their $ and properties (and time and energy, the whole life) into the "Yagya's" accounts.

In fact the reason why I started to write this post, is that I heard that once again the BKWSO is advising adepts to stock up with food and water because Destruction is imminent. In my opinion war, degradation, pollution, natural calamities and the rest are already very widespread, it is no secret!

What I never accepted though, was the proposal of insuring everything with the BKWSO with the motivation, typical of any religion, that donations will buy you a place in Paradise whilst everything on Earth is going to turn into dust. You are going to die and will not be able to take material possessions with you, so give it to us instead! Smart asses! ;)

Nothing new ...

jann

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly income?

Post03 Dec 2010

Charity number 269971 - Brahma Kumaris WORLD SPIRITUAL UNIVERSITY (UK)

Income £1,302,497 Spending £1,534,96
8

    Financial year end | Income | Spending | Accounts received

    31 Dec 2009 | £1,302,497 | £1,534,968 | 04 Oct 2010

    31 Dec 2008 | £2,141,231 | £1,497,775 | 27 Oct 2009

    31 Dec 2007 | £1,969,621 | £1,222,049 | 30 Oct 2008

    31 Dec 2006 | £2,116,864 | £1,710,887 | 25 Jan 2008 (86 days late)

    31 Dec 2005 | £1,585,558 | £1,043,381 | 31 Oct 2006
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/SHOWCHARITY/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=269971&SubsidiaryNumber=0

http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Library/about_us/faithsc.pdf
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Mr Green

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly income?

Post03 Dec 2010

jann wrote:Financial year end | Income | Spending | Accounts received

31 Dec 2009 | £1,302,497 | £1,534,968 | 04 Oct 2010

31 Dec 2008 | £2,141,231 | £1,497,775 | 27 Oct 2009

31 Dec 2007 | £1,969,621 | £1,222,049 | 30 Oct 2008

31 Dec 2006 | £2,116,864 | £1,710,887 | 25 Jan 2008 (86 days late)

31 Dec 2005 | £1,585,558 | £1,043,381 | 31 Oct 2006

These are just the declared accounts, the real picture cannot be known.
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ex-l

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly income?

Post05 Dec 2010

Mr Green wrote:These are just the declared accounts, the real picture cannot be known

Are you suggesting that from your point of view as someone who was surrendered and near the inner circle of the Western BKWSU, that there is more cash running through the hands of the BKWSU than it declares to the Charity Commission? Can you remember any examples?

Of course, more money gets spent than is accounted for as many BKs will pay out of their own pocket for maintenance and evangelism.

I remember one Janki quote along the lines of, "anything you give to me go direct to Madhuban". Essentially, in my mind, exploiting Hindi blind faiths that to give donations at holy places is more powerful and reaps better karmic returns. I can imagine she is a bank manager to herself and wonder if rolls of notes go back in the folds of her sari with her to India!

Then there is the question of all the donations given to the many centers and sub-centers. Is that accounted for? I remember there were problems with the big Leicester center because the center-in-charge wanted to remain financially independent. With lots of Hindis up there, I don't doubt for one minute they have their own cash economy and karma laundering service going on.
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Mr Green

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly income?

Post05 Dec 2010

Yes, from my point of view there are vast amounts of cash that never even get near to being accounted. After all, it's at the discretion of each centre in charge as to how much they use to pay their own bills at the centre and how much they send to the big wigs. There are dodgy dealings at all levels.

Just look at how they describe themselves to gain tax exemption, doesn't look like there's much faith in their own beliefs at the tax level.

Jedi

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly income?

Post05 Jan 2011

Not sure if all of you know this fact.

Any religious organization in India is 100% tax exempt. Most of the rich people I know have set up charitable groups and invest millions in the name of those groups and avoid paying a lot of taxes that way.

All in the name of the Lord everything goes.

The hypocrisy is overwhelming.
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gotmylifeback

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly inco

Post17 Jan 2011

You can rest assured that this organisation has a lot of money, property and resources. Probably less than the Catholic Church, but they've only been at it for 70 years or so, not 2,000. I would doubt the BKs themselves would know exactly how much they have or make, as it's probably all fragmented and decentralised. With 850,000 devotees and 8,500 Centres, anything's possible! Love to know which of their many spin doctors comes up with these numbers. Committed BKs outside of India - maybe 25,000. Within India, maybe 250,000. Most are very poor but some are quite wealthy. You do the maths. It adds up to a lot of money since they never have to pay out for labour. Including all the child labour in India. All of it tax free.

A friend of mine, another ex-BK, said to me once, "Why don't we start our own religion? From what we've learned from the BKs, it wouldn't be hard!" The thought left me cold. I have to be able to sleep at night, and I don't want to be cursed down the ages. No, two contributions Indians have made to the world - tea and religions. And I know which I think is the best one.

But back to the BKs. Look at how they throw up those mega-complexes in India? Diamond Hall in Taleti (Abu Road)? Gyan Sarover in Abu. The Retreat complex and farm outside of Delhi. Etc, etc. That's not peanuts even in India. Mega dollars. The BKs might work for free but there's all the labourers, the bribes, the million and one ways of milking a little extra out of everything that that country does so well at. Then there's London, Oxford, New York, Australia's Retreat centres - they have a staggering property portfolio alone. I think the net wealth of the BKWSU would be not millions but probably approaching a billion now. God Shiva is indeed a rich God.
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Pink Panther

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly inco

Post14 Feb 2016

This was posted online in the last couple of days

http://www.moreaboutbrahmakumaris.org/414893653
OZ = Australia
BKA = BK Australia
ACN = Australian Company Number (In Australia charities need to have a business number or a company number or both to fit into the the tax system)
BK OZ PROFITS SOAR AS MILLIONS ARE DONATED TO COMPANY.

In line with our policy of clarity and openness, and because we believe BK members and stakeholders should be aware of the general financial position of the corporate identity they support, as should Australian taxpayers, we publish, in brief, the latest figures from the BKA corporate world.

Brahma Kumaris Centres for Spiritual Learning ( Brahma Kumaris Australia) ACN 132 195 683 has recorded its biggest ever jump in corporate profits in the year ended June 2015.

The profit of the company for the tax year 2015 was a very handsome $3,424,592, on income of $4,950,592.

Corporate profit in 2014 was only $214,791.

There was also a huge jump in 'Other Income' : from $21,914 in 2014 to $1,315,398 in 2015.

Property (including plant and equipment) is valued at $24,065,737.

More at http://www.moreaboutbrahmakumaris.org/414893653


I’d point out that this is in the year they sold one property and bought a much larger, even more expensive one!
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ex-l

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly inco

Post14 Feb 2016

How many pukka BKs are there in Australia? What is their shared value?

It's a joke, is not it? And it's becoming more and more obvious.

Why would you be stockpiling all that wealth, property and equipment if you believed the World was going to end in "two to three years"?

--

Let me make prediction ... at some point in th near future, BK India announces that the End of the World *really* is coming this time (possibly after some minor cataclysm like an earthquake, tsunami or financial market flutter), and commands all BK zones to sell up and liquidate all of their property and wealth ...

and bring it back to India where the 'fee earners' amongst them will be rewarded with a comfortable retirement in Mount Abu.

The rest, including the poor BKs who work for nothing building the corporation up and maintaining it, will be dumped and left where they are.

Too bad ... "it's your karma!"

The pioneers, who broke new grounds for the Kirpalani Klan-sters and then left - sick of what they were really like - and we critics who have made them up their game, never figured on their spreadsheets and have already been forgotten.

No dividends on their investment for them.

It's a just one big ******* racket, plain and simple.
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Dev Bajaj

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly inco

Post05 Mar 2016

Brothers and Sisters, I am obliged to serve you. I'll be delighted to answer your arising questions with the full justifications. Please ask your doubt about any question regarding the income/source, critics, unexplained questions, study, discipline, policies, system of Brahmakumaris.

P.S one question at a time.
For more information you can email me
bajajdev@rocketmail.com
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Pink Panther

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly inco

Post06 Mar 2016

Dev Bajaj, Are an official BK spokesperson with full access to all the financial data?
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Dev Bajaj

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Re: How much money does the BKWSU have? How much yearly inco

Post06 Mar 2016

Brother/Sister,
No I am not
But!
I've the correct information about where the money is used and for what reasons. :)
You all have given your views* but are not close to what is in reality.


Did You Know:
1) The Brahmakumaris have their own solar powerplant project that will run all year and supports the generation of electricity on their own and provides electricity to nearby villages in Mount Abu?
It is capable of producing 1MW of electricity.
For more info visit
http://www.environment.brahmakumaris.org/solar-energy
2) The largest dining hall in the world is located at Madhuban, Mount Abu where all Brahma Kumar/Kumaris can have FREE breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner! You may have as much as you want. During special occasions, strength of people reach 20k+. All the expenses are managed by the institution itself. Take cost for one plate and multiply by 20,000+ see for your self how much expense it requires for one meal, then there are 4 meals a day.
3) Transportation inside Mount Abu is free for all members. Brahmakumaris has their own transportation department, whose expenses too are suffered by the organization itself.
There are hundreds of buses and consider it's fuel charges!
4) During special occasions, visits from around the world visit the head quarters, and about 10000+ people gather, individual person is provided a room to stay, room size may vary according to the booking status. All you have to do is to place a booking at your name/family. The charges are FREE! You may stay for a day, a week, couple of weeks but not for a longer period. Depends upon your work at the headquaters. The rooms are well maintained with 24hr hot water service, electricity. The Brahmakumaris are working on new projects everyday to support the excessive requirement of rooms during Special occasions and various guest houses which can support more than 1000+ people each, are under construction. More than two dozen buildings have been made for the purpose of providing rooms for tbook members. Multiply cost for stay for one day in a 3✴ hotel for 15000+ people. All expenses are solely maintained by Brahmakumaris.

5) Brahmakumaris have their own GODLYWOOD STUDIO, which makes films and songs all related to spirituality. Every year more than 100 new tracks are released which is available easily from any Brahmakumaris centre in the world.

6) The printing press that prints thousands of books each year is a part of their non-profit project where one can buy books related to spirituality. The cost of the book is almost negligent comparing to books published by other companies of the same comparison. Only printing charges and transportation charges are set for the price of individual book.

There are dozens of more projects and modes of expenses that are kept secret. Brahmakumaris is NOT a fraud. No one is denied to become a Brahmakumar/Kumari . Only your devotion matters. Questions arise to the non-bks. You are freely authorised to ask any question to the senior Sisters and Brothers of this organisation, if you are a BK. I will keep updating you with more information that will eventually diminish your critics.
The organization has enough money to support itself for 10 years without needing donations. Donations are made from a free will. It's not compulsory to donate. The donations only help in expanding the organizations reach. The first motive is to spread The Knowledge to people about their true self. Which most of us aren't aware.
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