Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

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Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post09 Mar 2008

The following note is a copy of a current official BKWSU discussion paper aiming at reform within the organisation. It has been reproduced faithfully with only the omission of contact details, if anyone wishes to contact individuals, please either request addresses from an Admin or via the BKWSU.

It should be noted that the BKWSU has not provided this to us directly nor requested this forum's involvement but that it was received independently from a center-in-charge.

Individual BK followers that wish to document discussion and developments within their local centre or zone are welcome to post here, as are the responsible individuals listed below. Any issues members wish to suggest the BKWSU address are also welcome.
BKWSU wrote:
Review Process on Global Functioning
NCO Meeting Feb 3 - 7 2008


TITLE OF TOPIC 1 - Upholding Our Spiritual Principles

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CORE WORK OF GROUP

The aim is to once again return to our roots, our spiritual principles, and strengthen them. Our spiritual principles make our organization unique. This is what strengthens our life and enables us to successfully reach our destination.

KEY ISSUES

    • Purity & divinity
    • Daily timetable
    • Atmosphere in the center
    • Visits to Madhuban
    • Creating ethics committees at different levels (center, national, regional)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

[Discuss this question in relation to each of the 5 key issue areas]

    • How do we recreate the awareness, strengthen our will, & generate the enthusiasm to become an image of divinity?
AREAS IN WHICH THE GROUP WOULD LIKE MORE INPUT

    • How do we deal with situations in which these principles are not followed?
MEMBERS OF GROUP & CONTACT INFORMATION

    • Chair: Sudhabehn - Moscow
    • Co-chair: Brother Anthony Strano
    • Designated RCO - Chakradharibehn

TITLE OF TOPIC 2 - Caring for the Family

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CORE WORK GROUP

    • To enhance the culture of care within the BK family and to encourage and allow it to be expressed in a natural and easy way.
    • To consider overall policies and ways of working which can be applied internationally that help, clarify, and support the enhancement of the culture of care in a way that will lead to the greater well being of the BK family
    • To support the implementation of those policies and ways of working in a way that will be easy and nonstressful through facilitating individual and family learning.
KEY ISSUES

    1. Enhancing a culture of care within the BK family
    2. Caring for the extended BK family (keeping BKs of all generations clsoe)
    3. Care of the sick and elderly
    4. Child welfare
    5. Managing mental health
    6. Health and safety at BK centers
    7. Conducting BK funerals
    8. Disaster response
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

    • How do we develop a culture of care in the BK family? (Please consdier this question in light of the above 8 key issue areas and cultural differences.)
AREAS IN WHICH THE GROUP WOULD LIKE MORE INPUT

    • How do we involve more BK professionals in these areas from different regions of the world?
MEMBERS OF GROUP & CONTACT INFORMATION

    • Chair - Brother Charlie Hogg
    • Co-chair - Sister Maureen Goodman
    • RCO - Sudesh Didi

TITLE OF TOPIC 3 - Managing Human and Financial Resources

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CORE WORK OF GROUP

The objective is to provide a scaleable, efficient, and effective, legal, financial, and administrative framework for sound governance of the Brahma Kumaris as an organization anywhere in the world.

KEY ISSUES

    • Degrees of compliance with present documents related to financial resources and legal policies:

      • BKWSU procedures manual for center coordinators March 2003, covering such areas as renting, purchasing, bank accounts, contributions, insurance, taxes and literature.
      • BKIVV constitution and by-laws, schedule II, guidelines of financial policy (July 2007)
    • Proposal for the creation of a scaleable management model that can be applicable from the smallest center level to the most complex at the level of a country with many centers.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

    • How do we develop a culture where the desire to contribute and participate in service activities is a natural response to what is being received?
    • How do you inspire people to contribute and participate?
AREAS IN WHICH THE GROUP WOULD LIKE MORE INPUT

    • What might it look like if there were a global resources team?
MEMBERS OF GROUP & CONTACT INFORMATION

    • Chair - Brother Ken O'Donell
    • Co-chair - Brother Sanjay Tulsidas
    • RCO - Nirmala Didi

TITLE OF TOPIC 4 - PROVIDING MECHANISMS FOR RECONCILIATION

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CORE WORK OF GROUP

A specialist conflict resolution group whose particular focus could be the resolution of long running and difficult situations. This group emphasizes the importance of personal empowerment, training, and cultural awareness in conflict resolution - most significantly in the processes of mediation and reconciliation.

KEY ISSUES

    • Recognize the importance of conflict resolving attitudes and behaviors in our spiritual environment.
    • Develop conflict resolving skills and practises across all parts of the BK family
    • Select, train, and support conflict resolution specialists at local, national, and regional levels
    • Bring together, train, resource, and use a specialist team (the "O" team)
    • Establish ongoing processes for learning from conflict resolution experience across the BK family and from general community
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

    • What are the areas that could benefit be conflict resolution expertise?
    • How do we make conflict resolution processes easy, appropriate and natural to use? Any examples?
AREAS IN WHICH THE GROUP WOULD LIKE MORE INPUT

    • Who can we identify who may want to contribute to ongoing conversation and process development for this topic?
MEMBERS OF GROUP & CONTACT INFORMATION

    • Chair & RCO - Sister Jayanti Kirpalani
    • Co-chair - Sister Margaret Newton (worthwhileprojects.com)

TITLE OF TOPIC 5 - BETTER PREPARATION OF INSTRUMENTS AND NEWNESS IN TRAINING

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CORE WORK OF GROUP

Proposal of a new form of training which enables Baba's instruments around the globe to assimilate Baba's teachings in the context of the present world and situations.

KEY ISSUES

    • Creation of a global training committee (GTC) which will create and implement policies under the supervision of the RCs, and consisting of experienced BKs and professionals in adult education, coaching and/or facilitation.
    • To ensure that the essence, consciousness, and actions, which are part of the Brahmin culture, remain no matter the pace of expansion.
    • To create a standardized training that can be adapted to every culture.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

    • What do you see as your most urgent training needs?
    • How do you approach training in your country?
AREAS IN WHICH THE GROUP WOULD LIKE MORE INPUT

    • What might the GTC look like if it were to best serve the needs of your country?
MEMBERS OF GROUP & CONTACT INFORMATION

    • Chair - Brother Marcelo Bulk
    • Co-chair - Brother Ken O'Donell
    • RCO - Nirmala Didi

TITLE OF TOPIC 6 - COMMUNICATION & DECISION MAKING

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CORE WORK OF GROUP

What makes communication effective, the spiritual principles in our communication, and the systems for allowing decisions to be made at the appropriate level - also new means and technology in our methods of communication?

KEY ISSUES

    • Spiritual basis for good communication
    • Structures for communication
    • Functioning with international documents, procedures manual, etc.
    • Areas of communication: service plans, different channels, in the center, about personal situations, travel, etc.
    • Communication with the world
    • Means of communication using technology
    • Challenges: cultural differences, conflict of opinions, need of education
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

    • In what context do you find communication most challenging?
AREAS IN WHICH THE GROUP WOULD LIKE MORE INPUT

    • What are the areas of decision making in which your country could benefit from guidance?
MEMBERS OF GROUP & CONTACT INFORMATION

    • Chair - Sister Luciana Ferraz
    • Co-chair - Erik Larsen
    • RCO - Vedantibehn
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ex-l

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post09 Mar 2008

Ha! The post above was our 20,000th post.

No mention of sorting out the historical revision. Smells like window dressing to me. Can they really be capable of "reforming" rather than adding more layers of obfuscation? I mean, the document does not mention "reform".

And if they are returning to their spiritual roots, that means thinking Lekhraj Kirpalani is God, Gandhi a dictator of the crow race and the world ending during WWII.

Being seen to "do something"? For me, they have to chuck out all the faked biographies, sort out their property issues, clearly document the changes in the Murli and then make an example of one or two of their errant leaders. I won't believe they have changed unless a head or two rolls. Forget the touchie feelie talking shops ... where is the disciplinary committee or policies?

BTW, has anyone got and can they share a copy of;

    the "BKWSU procedures manual for center coordinators March 2003, covering such areas as renting, purchasing, bank accounts, contributions, insurance, taxes and literature", and

    the "BKIVV constitution and by-laws, schedule II, guidelines of financial policy (July 2007)"
They should provide entertaining reading. I mean, and this is the biggest joke of the day, how to we know they are following the rules ... IF NO ONE GETS TO SEE THEM!?! I was never told about them when I was a pukka little BK puppy. Anyone's local BK center have them on offer or display?

Arjun, are such guidelines and by-laws according to Shrimat? Is that the PBK's Vedanti?
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arjun

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post10 Mar 2008

ex-l wrote:Arjun, are such guidelines and by-laws according to Shrimat? Is that the PBK's Vedanti?

Omshanti. I can reply to your question only when I see the guidelines or by-laws. The above document is just an agenda for discussion. As regards Shrimat, ShivBaba has said many a times in the Murlis (through Brahma Baba) that there will not be any Ministers in heaven. The king himself is competent/intelligent enough to take all decisions. The agenda presented above with a team for suggesting ways/taking decision on every item of agenda compares more with the present day democratic forms of government rather than a Golden-Age kind of administration.

Although the above agenda does not include many important issues, like revision of Murlis and making them available on BK website for all BKs to see, conflict resolution with PBKs, etc., nevertheless it is a positive step. I look forward to the decisions taken on the above agenda.

Regards,
OGS,
Arjun
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alladin

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seats distribution for elections

Post10 Mar 2008

All this stuff that ex-l suspects to be "window dressing and ... more obfuscation" sounds to me like the program of some party in preparation for election day. It could be some kind of personal aversion or anarchist sanskar of mine that leads me to pick up such vibes, perceive such analogy, and ignore the good intentions and hard work behind it! :roll:

Many topics and many chairs taken and roles distributed (for sure some will be left out and will sulk, sorry for them, but unfortunately once you dedicate your life to politics, subtracting time from Yoga, such things happen. Wait for your turn, be desireless regarding name and fame, or change party, may I suggest!). Rat race and blah blah. Thank God and Drama that spared me from playing such part and attending such meetings.

Being some kind of citizen of the BK world, I will opt for abstention and practise seed stage.
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ex-l

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post11 Mar 2008

As someone else said, its the same old faces. So how can we expect anything new or difference. I have heard that they are waiting until October 2008 until centers etc feedback ... and then how long until programmes and developed and implemented. Meanwhile, it is business as usual. They probably think Destruction will come and save them so there is no point hurrying!

What you appear to be saying to me is that the same orthodoxy will just use such a reform to make their position even more concrete.

Where, for example, is anything about transparency, holding the very same leadership accountable? How could we empower individual BK followers more ... apart from exposing their modus operandi here?
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paulkershaw

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post11 Mar 2008

I am thinking that "return to spiritual roots" is BK speak for 'reform' on some level, with the clear understanding that the BKWSU always have and always will use their own 'lingo'. It's a start indeed but, in my opinion, once they realise that the 'discussion' results are probably not going to be sufficient for an organisation supposedly so large and 'universal' in nature, then the wheel will have to spin once again. One should take care not to fool one's self I say.

Sometimes I have noticed that it takes a long time to realise that one's 'sanskaras' are actually causing one trouble; but I do also know that eventually one will learn through sheer suffering ... Knock your head once OK, knock it twice it's a shame but knock it thrice and one deserves it ... The 'document' mentions them using 'BK Professionals' but doesn't say 'outside guidance' (hmmm - someone would have to pay good money for that eh?) - so this could be their ego trapping them in their own mess. Again.

Being 'forced' to create internal reform does not create the same responsibility as when 'wanting' to do it! Let's pray that this Forum will still stay strong & shining all the way through the BKWSU's spinning wheel of slow self-realisation.

Anyone up to creating our own 'answers' like a shadow government would do and then send it to them in a formal (and forum posted) manner?

jann

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post11 Mar 2008

In the Peace Hall there is a big sign, so i have been told.
"Ego is the root of all suffering".
Now what is it that they don't understand??? :roll:

I believe they (BKWSU) are full of ego!!!
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primal.logic

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post11 Mar 2008

Has anyone seen the movie about Martin Luther and the reforms he created in the Catholic church?

The Pope was so busy 'indulging' that he ignored Luther, or more importantly, he missed the point. Luther was only able to create reform because it was needed. Afterwards the Bishops all lamented the lost opportunity the Pope had to create real reform himself. And that it had been left to a 'rebel'.

Jayanti and co are so lost in their own creation they cannot see the wood for the trees. They have been incrementally sliding into the position they are in and can no longer see where they are - they have morphed the BK institution into a corporation and the BK membership into customers. A BK gets a product - although intangible - and the BK establishment gets money with which to build its edifices. The corporate leadership get to globe trot and feel important.

At the end of the day, Jayanti has only established that she is in control, that she is not going to change, that it has nothing to do with spirituality or humility. Her idea of service is about making the organisation wealthier and herself more important.

Let us pray that their really is a Law of Karma - she is destined to suffer badly.
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enlightened

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post11 Mar 2008

I have to say that I cannot make any sense of the official internal reform efforts. It all seems to be over complicated which is nothing new about the BKWSU, of course. All this duty of care business seems like it's all talk and no action. There is no way in the world that they are going to be able to change the whole organisation and its members attitude worldwide as I personally think it's a bit too late for all that.

The older generation BKs are already too conditioned to change their attitudes to provide any duty of care that is really needed. The only way they might be able to understand the concept of duty of care is by unconditioning themselves of the BK dogma through psychotherapy, or some other form of therapy, in order to bring about a change in their behaviour and attitudes towards other BKs and the public worldwide.

It's only through some form of therapy that they'll begin to realise how messed up they are themselves because of the BK dogma and unnecessary conditioning, as I have had to realise for myself through my own personal therapy.

Believe you and me, it's been a most traumatic experience for me to see how the BK organisation has messed up my mind, my life, my education, my career, my future, my relationships etc. I am only just beginning to realise what it means to live like a normal human being and not like a zombee!! I am only just beginning to learn how to express my true nature and my true feelings without the need to suppress any of my emotions, desires, needs etc. I am only just beginning to learn how to be my true self!!!

The therapy I have been undergoing is quite challenging and at times, it has been extremely traumatic. However, I believe the end result will be that I should be able to live the rest of whatever life I have left in a somewhat 'normal' and more productive manner. A way in which I will be equipped with the 'real tools' on how to deal and cope with life's reality and challenges.

Unfortunately, I think that some of the scars of my life as a BK child and adult will never go away, but hopefully, I should be able to lead a more normal, happier and peaceful life and be more in control of my life and have the correct coping mechanisms rather than suppressing my feelings and emotions which I have done for years and year and year ...

Anyway, that's all from me
Over and out
enlightened :wink:
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alladin

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audit

Post11 Mar 2008

From Wikipedia’s definition of "audit":
an audit is an independent assessment of the fairness by which a company's financial statements are presented by its management. It is performed by competent, independent and objective person or persons, known as auditors ..
.
And in fact, we all know that undergoing an audit is for a company a painful, stressful but necessary process. A big investment aiming to improve performances, services, increase profits, cut down on waste, etc .. and auditors are, of course, impartial, externally engaged professionals.

There have been occasional, informal audits in the Yagya. One of the "specialists" is Ken O''Donnel. I am not sure about the impact of his interventions. From what I have heard, his ideas are brilliant but it is up to the NCOs, sisters-in-charge etc ... to actually implement suggestions. Plans maybe made and discussed at length, but usually, the conservative nature of the BK org and its leaders, is such that there's a resistance to change and if this includes cutting some heads ... don't even ask. It doesn't happen, even in front of massive desertion of students or mob revolts.

One core belief in this organization, regards the importance of "pretending". Maybe this is what is really meant by "we are all actors". Positions and marks are gained on the basis of how good you are at pretending, starting from the clothes you wear, the phony smiles, the adoption of the sect’s particular jargon, the use of soft persuasive voices whilst stabbing people in their backs, and so on.

BapDada says that, our impact on others, and world transformation, should spring from our attitude and vibrations, and behaviour. Concentrating on how to impress the audience by wearing masks, is another option, a shortcut many BKs adopt, which in fact leads nowhere in the end but for a while provides support and satisfaction. Along with this, is the belief - undeclared, yet we see it constantly at work - the end justifies the means. So, the leaders and consequently lower ranks expertise becomes "throwing smoke in others' eyes".

I noticed that even BapDada has sort of stopped pulling the ears of teachers. He gave up on them! The BK corporation, always seems pretty satisfied with its own results, so what for practising humility or changing the course? Their main occupation is figures and their concern is how to increase them. In the Avyakt Murli of 18/02/08, BapDada, after congratulating for the expansion, said " quality should increase and it doesn't mean that (new members, mikes) should be wealthy. Quality means that they show the proof of a remembrance as a discipline in their life ".

The message is clear, but it meets the deaf ears of human gurus lost in self celebration and chasing after VIPS and their money. What is all about is no mystery to any old or new BK or contact soul, unless one is comfortable at wearing blinkers and live in dreamland.
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ex-l

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post12 Mar 2008

paulkershaw wrote:The 'document' mentions them using 'BK Professionals' but doesn't say 'outside guidance' (hmmm - someone would have to pay good money for that eh?) - so this could be their ego trapping them in their own mess. Again.

Being 'forced' to create internal reform does not create the same responsibility as when 'wanting' to do it!

I need to churn on this principle further. If an individual in a family realise that they or the family were sick or dysfunctional, at the end of the day, THEY could turn to therapy. They could not make the rest of the family to have therapy to fix them unless the family members were willing or 'regiment' it into health again (... or may be they can, it is an army after all!). It would not work.

Given that these are the 'usual suspects', why are they displacing their attentions outside of themselves? And forget the BK proles, what are they doing to bind into accountability the seen, and unseen, leadership?

I agree, they need external and professional help ... but I think most BKs, especially those in public roles, are so conditioned that it would be impossible for them open up.
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primal.logic

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post12 Mar 2008

Thanks Enlightened for sharing your experience. What you have said resounds clearly with the rest of the ex-BK community. I don't want to appear to be devaluing your sentiments when I say that your experience is fairly normal for ex-BKs who have been fully absorbed in the BK experience. In fact, it is because of your experience, and many of us who have also shared in that, that this site and http://www.bkwsuwatch.com have come into being.

BKwatch has been described as 'severe', but at the end of the day, how far are we going to have to go to get something of a reasonable duty of care PRACTISE in place?
Their main occupation is figures and their concern is how to increase them.

When will they wake up? Our community is growing. We are becoming more cohesive and better at what we do. Sooner or later they will come to the precipice and only a gentle push will be required to send them over the edge!
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ex-l

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post14 Mar 2008

enlightened wrote:I think the reason they gave was so that he could have a right to stay in the UK but I may be wrong. If anyone else knows any different, then please do correct me if i am mistaken.

It could well be true. I know it to be a practise to have been used elsewhere. I often wondered how they ship about their battalion of dutiful Gujerati center-in-charges and ask myself if our respected BKWSU 'non-religion' even uses missionary visas. I mean, how do they get Hindi teachers into Russia and have their serviceable Brothers paid living expenses in countries as far apart as the Americas to the Middle East when they cant official get working visas? Are they paid by them? From where? HQ until they can pull together sufficient local support?

I suppose this is one benefits of running a paper money global economy.

I feel for you when you describe the scrambled egg your head became. I too have been there. Up until now, and these forums for expression, the hardest part of it was the being entirely alone and psychologically cut off from any help by the conditioning.

Of course, I suppose the BKs will argue that if you had only stuck it out for the long-term with them, you would have turned out completely hard boiled. I am not sure that is entirely attractive to me.

Welcome back to a bit of yourself and normality. Congratulations for popping the top on their limited world. Life is not easy and it is almost entirely unwritten. is not it amazing that you don't die, are not cursed by karma, the world did not end and you do not become instantly unenlightened just because you stop ... metaphorically ... sucking on their nipples.

Picking up on what primal says, if you think "The They" within the BKWSU are really only a very small handful of fairly fanatical individuals that are sustaining the illusion they have created, there will soon be more of us on the outside than them on the inside. Add that to the quality of the churning, the bona fide experience, and the factual evidence we present, the simple demographics will soon create an 'osmotic effect'.

When I say "illusion", I am not necessarily saying that it is all an illusion. I do not want to hurt anyone's hope in truth ... but I do mean those bits of their religion, and a few unnamed individuals, that are absolutely fake.

My deepest concern is that for the BKWSU, the West is really only the icing and the fat cake is Bharat. According the philosophy, they do not and cannot expect much human return out here, even if the financial interests are exponentially beneficial. And like a multinationals, the drug or cigarette companies they are aiming their mass marketing in third world nations where a lack of basic education and access to life opportunities and information is widespread.

So, they can drag their heels to put to paper a sufficient "culture of care" to avoid being sued or to wave about the UN, media and others but what about India, Africa etc. I mean, look at the typical slippery nature. We and others bang on about 'duty of care', what do they do? Sidestep to "culture of care". There is a big difference. A duty of care requires a very deep and public honesty.
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sparkal

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post14 Mar 2008

BKWSU wrote:How do we involve more BK professionals in these areas from different regions of the world?

That's that thing again which rejects "non-professionals". The world is in a mess partly due to "professionals", so I am not sure what they mean. Surely it simply means someone who makes money out of something. The official answer may be - people who have been trained in a certain thing.

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Re: Official BKWSU internal reform efforts

Post15 Mar 2008

sparkal wrote:The world is in a mess partly due to "professionals",

Interesting point. What is the yardstick used for BKs to indicate "professional" ...is not that being sucked into a lokik definition. In the spiritual world, everyone is a "professional" soul so how does one soul become more professional than another ?
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