End of the World; World War II, 1950, 1976, 1986-87, Year 2000 ... 2012, 2036?
Inescapably central to BKWSU teachings and motivation, more than often not hidden from newcomers the public, is the teaching that humanity faces not just an imminent but a desirable End of the World, "Destruction" as it is known to BKs. The death of civilisation as we know it.Believing that all of planetary and evolutionary history fits into one endlessly repeating and identical 5,000 year Cycle now, the BKWSU has taught since its beginning, that now is the time for the world to transformed via Nuclear Holocaust between Russia and America, civil war, natural disaster and the sinking of all other continents except for India. A process during which more than 6 Billion human beings will die in order to make way for a Golden Age for 900,000 faithfull BKs followers. A Golden Age in which the Emperors and Empresses and Royal Family will be comprised entirely of senior BKs.
Millenarist cults have used the concept of the End of the World as a tool to incite and control since the start of religion. Most failing as the promised "End of the World" does not come. In the case of the BKWSU, an ethical problem arises. It has been indoctrinating its followers that this Destruction is imminent for the last 70 years, re-writing its history, publicity material and channelled or mediumistic messages allegedly God speaking to them, called Murlis, to suit.
It is worth noting that these predictions are said not to come from the human founder Lehkraj Kirpalani alone but from God Himself at first being channelled through Lehkraj Kripalani and since his death through a senior BK medium called Gulzar. It is said that Gulzar, a follower of Kirpalani since childhood, now channels the combined spirits of a fully enlightened, "Number One" soul or "Father of Humanity" Lehkraj Kirpalani and God together. In is this combined form, called BapDada that continued to predict the End of the World in World War II, 1950, 1976, 1986-97, Year 2000.
The leadership and organization continues to predict the start of the Golden Age by 2036 with the crowning of their reborn founder and medium Lekhraj Kripalani as "Emperor Narayan", having first been reborn as Sri Krishna. Fantastic as this sounds, to Hindus whose deities the sect has taken, it is even more confused and unbelievable. To attempt to express it in a manner comprehendible to Westerners, it is approximately equivalent to a cult leaders claiming that he is going to be reborn as Jesus Christ and then go to grow up to be crowned as Moses.
Needless to say, the Brahma Kumaris also claim that their founder Kripalani, a relative of the current leadership, is "Adam" and their deceased female founder, another relative renamed 'Om Radhe', was Eve and the mother of Humanity. And the wife of reborn founder as Goddess/Empress Laksmi Further more, that their current leadership such as Janki Kripalani will go on to be reborn as the successive Emperors of the forthcoming Golden Age, the top 8 souls of all humankind. Brahma Kumari followers are encouraged to make efforts, sacrifices and donations to achieve a high status in this future.
Typically, 'global chief' Janki Kripalani responded to the serious Alzheimer's disease of previous chief BK Prakashmani as a sign of how close Destruction was and that she, Prakashmani, would be with the BKWSU until The End. She later died, the predictions were buried with her remains to be re-written again. We have documented, time and time again since the 1970s, the same Brahmakumari leaders making predictions to newcomers about the imminence of Destruction typically in 2, 4, 5 years. Meanwhile, the properties, donations and wills keep filling up the organization's coffers.
Does "God" lie or "test" the faith of his children in this manner? Recent Brahma Kumaris students are not told about the 5,000 Cycle and Destruction. Newly indoctrinated BKs are not told about the failures of their god's predictions. Following the failure of these teaching, Murlis and teaching aids have been re-edited to state that there was a 100 year Confluence with Destruction happening in 50 to 60 years, or approximately 1986 to 1996. Again this year, Senior Sisters keep their students on the edge stating that the 900,000 Brahma Kumari followers required for heaven to exists will be ready and so the "Gates of Heaven" are about to open for them.
Followers are encouraged that the Brahma Kumari leadership is going to be the royal family in Heaven, Emperors and Empresses, and that to ensure a high status in heaven, they must enjoy a close and obediant relationship with them. The donation of money to the organization is said to assure privileges and high status in the next life in paradise.
Within Brahma Kumaris' Raja Yoga circles there is an alternative belief that the "Destruction" of 1976 did not refer to a destruction of the external world but a metaphorical destruction of a particular mindset or controlling element within the BKWSU. Individuals supporting this idea call themselves "PBKs", or Prajapita Brama Kumaris. PBKs continue to see themselves as BK Raja Yogis but are barred and banished from BKWSU centers, events, refused Murlis and have suffered various, repeated persecutions at the hands of BKWSU followers including violent beatings.
BrahmaKumaris.Info has no connection with the PBK organization but allow members to present their views fairly in open discussion. Latest reports suggest that senior members of the BKWSU are not just aware of PBK teachings but study them.
