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'''Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University'''+
+Brahma Kumaris' so-called "World Spiritual University" promoted new and uniques based on mediumship and spirit chaneling. It also claims its practises are the "ancient" Raja Yoga despite only commencing post-1950. It is now promoted behind the facade of new age, positive thinking, values based and coporate training courses. Many individuals experience benefit from these. Indeed, some individuals can look back at their time as a "student" of the BKWSU positively. However, whether right or wrong, at the core of BKWSU teachings and lifestyles are identical elements to recognised cult behaviour. Elements that are hidden from the general public and slowly introduced during the process of indoctrination.
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−==Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University==
+Brahma Kumaris' so-called "World Spiritual University" promotes new and unique ideas based on messages received from mediumship and spirit chaneling. It also claims its practises are the "ancient" Raja Yoga despite only commencing post-1950. It is now promoted behind the facade of new age, positive thinking, values based and coporate training courses. Many individuals experience benefit from these. Indeed, some individuals can look back at their time as a "student" of the BKWSU positively. However, whether right or wrong, at the core of BKWSU teachings and lifestyles are identical elements to recognised cult behaviour. Elements that are hidden from the general public and slowly introduced during the process of indoctrination.
−==Followers homes counted as centers==
==Followers homes counted as centers==
Whilst claiming to have 8,500 centres in 100 countries, the vast majority of these are privately owned residential homes and apartments, many taking donations to pay for personal mortgages.
Whilst claiming to have 8,500 centres in 100 countries, the vast majority of these are privately owned residential homes and apartments, many taking donations to pay for personal mortgages.
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Under these pressures, individuals are willing to put aside reason and surrender themselves mind, body and wealth, to the will of senior members of the BKWSU. Most of these senior members are professionally untrained in any manner whatsoever. Despite dabbling with perhaps the deepest levels of the human mind, many of these senior members have only ever had a basic education, e.g. 3 years schooling, and no professional experience. One senior BK recently estimated that in India there were as many as 20,000 so-called teachers that have had no training whatsoever. The curriculum and teaching methods have been likened to that of a primary school or kindergarten where followers are infantilized
Under these pressures, individuals are willing to put aside reason and surrender themselves mind, body and wealth, to the will of senior members of the BKWSU. Most of these senior members are professionally untrained in any manner whatsoever. Despite dabbling with perhaps the deepest levels of the human mind, many of these senior members have only ever had a basic education, e.g. 3 years schooling, and no professional experience. One senior BK recently estimated that in India there were as many as 20,000 so-called teachers that have had no training whatsoever. The curriculum and teaching methods have been likened to that of a primary school or kindergarten where followers are infantilized
−Under these pressures, individuals are willing to put aside reason and surrender themselves mind, body and wealth, to the will of senior members of the BKWSU. Most of these senior members are professionally untrained in any manner whatsoever. Despite dabbling with perhaps the deepest levels of the human mind, many of these senior members have only ever had a basic education, e.g. 3 years schooling, and no professional experience. One senior BK recently estimated that in India there were as many as 20,000 so-called teachers that have had no training whatsoever. The curriculum and teaching methods have been likened to that of a primary school or kindergarten where followers are infantilized
+Under these pressures, individuals are willing to put aside reason and surrender themselves mind, body and wealth, to the will of senior members of the BKWSU. Most of these senior members are professionally untrained in any manner whatsoever. Despite dabbling with perhaps the deepest levels of the human mind, many of these senior members have only ever had a basic education, e.g. 3 years schooling, and no professional experience. One senior BK recently estimated that in India there were as many as 20,000 so-called teachers that have had no training whatsoever. The curriculum and teaching methods have been likened to that of a primary school or kindergarten where followers are infantilized.
+==5,000 Year Cycle==
+Brahma Kumaris teach that time is cyclic, repeating identically every 5,000 years, and composed of five ages or "Yugas"; the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Copper Age, the Iron Age each being exactly 1,250 years long, and the Confluence Age (Sangam Yuga). The Confluence Age is said to be 100 years long, beginning in 1936 with the descent of Shiva into Lekhraj Kirpalani, during which present day civilization is to be completely destroyed by natural disasters, civil and nuclear war[46] in an event called Destruction. Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi states this information is generally hidden from non-members.
+During the first half of the cycle, procreation is believed to be possible through the power of yoga without sexual intercourse.[49] The Universe is never transformed into primordial or atomic state matter, nor does the world ever becomes devoid of human beings.. Babb states that Brahma Kumari movement enter the fifth era (Confluence Age) with the expectation that they will become "fit to be reborn in the paradisical phase of the next world cycle ... indeed they are the very gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon imperfectly remembered through texts today".
== Controversies and criticism ==
== Controversies and criticism ==
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Questioned how dinosaurs fit within a 5,000 year Cycle of Time BK Neville Hodgkinson, a former scientific correspondent for an English national newspaper, questioned the existence of dinosaurs on the basis of the lack of bones that have been found whilst other BK follower argued that dinosaurs exist in a parallel space-time dimension and because of a warp hole end up in this dimension.
Questioned how dinosaurs fit within a 5,000 year Cycle of Time BK Neville Hodgkinson, a former scientific correspondent for an English national newspaper, questioned the existence of dinosaurs on the basis of the lack of bones that have been found whilst other BK follower argued that dinosaurs exist in a parallel space-time dimension and because of a warp hole end up in this dimension.
−The Brahma Kumaris have featured in the 'Wissen schtzt' reports of Austria (edited by then Austrian Minister for Family Affairs Mr. Martin Bartenstein), Russia (International Conference "Totalitarian Cults - Threat of Twenty-First Century", Nizhny Novgorod, 2001) and in a MIVILUDES report submitted to the French National Assembly as a "sectes dangereuses" (harmful cult) and "groupe d'enfermement" (group of confinement). This has leading to the presecution of followers in local media leading to job losses after it discovered that they belonged to a secte [85] and denouncement for their influence on children under their care.
+The Brahma Kumaris have featured in the 'Wissen schtzt' reports of Austria (edited by then Austrian Minister for Family Affairs Mr. Martin Bartenstein), Russia (International Conference "Totalitarian Cults - Threat of Twenty-First Century", Nizhny Novgorod, 2001) and in a MIVILUDES report submitted to the French National Assembly as a "sectes dangereuses" (harmful cult) and "groupe d'enfermement" (group of confinement). This has leading to the presecution of followers in local media leading to job losses after it discovered that they belonged to a secte and denouncement for their influence on children under their care.
+==Lifestyle==
+* The movement teaches that the world is approaching a time of great change that will be heralded by war, natural calamities and suffering. As a form of developing inner spiritual resilience, the Brahma Kumaris adopt a disciplined lifestyle which involves:
+* Celibacy, including no sex within marriage. So long as chastity is followed, marriage and family life are allowed.
+* Sattvic vegetarianism, a strict lacto-vegetarian diet (excluding eggs). even excluding their own mother or relatives.
+* Regular early morning meditation at 4:00[3] to 4:45 am, called 'Amrit Vela.'
+* Regular morning class at approximately 6:30 am.
+* Men and women traditionally sit on separate sides of the room at the centers during classes.
+* Brahma Kumaris can be identified by their frequent adoption of wearing white clothes, to symbolize purity.
+* Recommends that companions be other BK Brahmins as opposed to those given over to worldly pleasures (non-BKs), known as bhogis or shudras (meaning 'untouchables').
+* All except the very senior BKs in the Western branches must support themselves (most work), most BKs live in shared accommodation with other members enabling the organization to powerfully reinforce its beliefs.
+==Websites==
==Websites==
* http://www.brahmakumaris.info
* http://www.brahmakumaris.info
* http://www.brahmakumaris.com
* http://www.brahmakumaris.com
* http://www.bkwsuwatch.com
* http://www.bkwsuwatch.com
+<embed>
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+style="width:100%;height:340px;" scrolling="yes" marginwidth="0"
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== Share this page ==
== Share this page ==
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* "Dadi Hirdaya Mohini- Joint Administrative Head". BKWSU. Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
* "Dadi Hirdaya Mohini- Joint Administrative Head". BKWSU. Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
* Walliss, John (2002). The Brahma Kumaris As a Reflexive Tradition: Responding to Late Modernity, Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0754609513. "Another rendition of the University's Millenarianism [is] put forward by a group named the Advance Party. This group is made up of predominantly disaffected ex-members of the University and are highly critical of what they allege to be the increasing worldliness and corruptness of the University's hierarchy. The University, they claim on their website, has become a true Ravan Rajya (Kingdom of Devil) where pomp and show and grandeur are given preference over true godly knowledge. At a deeper level, the Advance Party's critique is aimed at the BK theodicy and the manner in which they allege its millenarianism has been understood.".
* Walliss, John (2002). The Brahma Kumaris As a Reflexive Tradition: Responding to Late Modernity, Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0754609513. "Another rendition of the University's Millenarianism [is] put forward by a group named the Advance Party. This group is made up of predominantly disaffected ex-members of the University and are highly critical of what they allege to be the increasing worldliness and corruptness of the University's hierarchy. The University, they claim on their website, has become a true Ravan Rajya (Kingdom of Devil) where pomp and show and grandeur are given preference over true godly knowledge. At a deeper level, the Advance Party's critique is aimed at the BK theodicy and the manner in which they allege its millenarianism has been understood.".
+
+[[Category:Cults]]
+[[Category:Indian religions]]
+[[Category:New Religious Movements]]
+[[Category:India]]
+[[Category:Religion]]
+
+
+<br>
+<div style="overflow:auto;height:1px;">
+[[Keyword:=Brahma Kumaris]]
+[[Keyword:=Cult]]
+[[Keyword:=Spiritualism]]
+[[Keyword:=Mediumship]]
+[[Keyword:=Murlis]]
+[[Keyword:=Avyakt Murli]]
+[[Keyword:=Sakar Murli]]
+</div>
+<br>