- Posts: 28
- Joined: 25 Oct 2015
I can’t help with any details. But it appears like a franchise system, which, like most franchises, sees those at the bottom working hard just to stay in the game while moneys generated flow upstream, paying for the ”licence holders’ lifestyle and expenses so they can go around and do ’their job” of supporting and promoting the franchise.
The ΒΚWSU is the best example of the McDonald’s franchise system applied by NRMs (new religious movements).
Most franchises are not what they seem, e.g. in a tradesman franchise, the franchisor does not work at any trade (even if they started that way) - the business is actually a booking agency.
People think MacDonald’s business is a hamburger franchise. People think the BKWSU is a spiritual meditation group.
MacDonalds, at its core, exists to make profits from real estate. MacDonald's is a property developer. They make more money from rentals on the properties, augmented by royalties (tithes - a percentage of the franchisee’s income) and from sales of the ingredients needed for burger production which they are obliged to buy from HO. The franchise agreement is a form of lease conditions the tenant must abide by.
The BKWSU has accumulated more real estate than it knows what to do with. Those who buy into the system pay their royalties, tithes (which originally meant 10% - what most devoted BKs are expected to pay from their incomes) while those surrendered in centres but who hold a job ‘outside’ can pay up to 100% of their income into ”the bandarra”. Like McDonald’s franchisees cannot buy ingredients from other suppliers, so too a BK library cannot contain books other than BK published books. (You’d think a ”Spiritual University” would at least have a library containg the major world scriptures, Plato, Descartes, The Tao Ti Ching, Spinoza etc)
Money donated may go to renting a centre, if its not owned outright or being paid off. Cases have been reported where BKs have ”donated” their house for use by BKs but retained title, then used moneys donated to pay off their mortgage. Other cases where a person lets BKs use their home then over time, the BKs take it over, the owner is talked into moving out ...
All extra moneys flow upstream supporting the comfortable lifestyle of the ”fully surrendered” - travel, equipment, gadgets ... all mod cons (sister in charge).
And that's why BK Gyan is the 'fast food' of spiritual understanding.