Spirit Possession: BK Tamasin Ramsay PhD on the BKWSU

[fluffy bunny]

Just in case anyone is interested here, BK Tamasin Ramsay has completed her PhD Thesis on the Brahma Kumaris.

It is here to download. Custodians of Purity: An Ethnography of the Brahma Kumaris.

One of interesting chapter is a detailed documentation on spirit possession within the BKWSU and how the Brahma Kumaris dealt with it ... by taking the afflicted Brahma Kumari sister to a local tantric priest or magician (whatever the right term is).

[arjun]

One of interesting chapter is a detailed documentation on spirit possession within the BKWSU and how the Brahma Kumaris dealt with it ... by taking the afflicted Brahma Kumari Sister to a local tantric priest or magician (whatever the right term is).

Thanks for the information.
This is mentioned in the Murlis itself that if any BK is possessed by a spirit, and if he cannot get rid of the spirit through rajyog, he/she can go to the Aulia (Muslim priests) to get rid of the spirits.

[fluffy bunny]

Interesting ... I wonder why Islamic mystics? Were the possessing spirits in the old days were Islamic or Hindu spirits?

I found the thesis to be an interesting study ... a study not of Brahma Kumarism but of how Westerns BKs want to be perceive by non-BKs. I think it is fairly safe to say that the thesis will be used to create favorable public opinion in the West about Brahma Kumarism, likewise Tamasin's public speaking to other academics. I also think it will become a sort of Bible for Western BKs trying to find way of expressing Brahma Kumarism to non-BKs.

Initially, I was concerned that she and Wendy Smith were not making it clear enough that she was a Brahma Kumari adherent and I think initially that there was a false appearance of independence given to non-BKs.

From a BK-PBK point of view, I found it of interest that she wishes to present a lessening in difference, blur the borders, between BKs and non-BKs. This I disagree with entirely and it is entirely oppositional to The Knowledge where there is an ETERNAL difference between BK souls and non-BK souls.

In fact, I find many of her assertions to be contrary to The Knowledge. I do not think she is a good student of the Knowledge. This is another trend I see the BK using ... using people who do not know The Knowledge to portray false impressions of it to the public to deceive them.

To be honest, I find a lot of what she wrote sloppy and lazy in comparison to what she could have uncovered, given the access to Seniors etc that she had. In short, she makes lies and half-truths into concrete facts.

(Simple example, BapDada often uses the term of "ghosts" for the vices in the Murlis. In the thesis, she uses it related to spirit possession which is something entirely different).

Another aspect she picks up on and asserts is the difference of Lekhraj Kirpalani opinions and Shiva Baba 's knowledge in the Murlis documenting that the Murlis are now being re-edited by the BKWSU and that being is OK.

I think that she falls more to the side of making artful deceptions about the Knowledge and Brahma Kumarism to cover up for a gradual decline in BK standards and to excuse her own lack of adherence ... in short wishful thinking. Whilst obviously being influence by the discussion, material, interaction and effect of the BrahmaKumaris.Info forum upon the Yagya ... something she herself acknowledges ... she was quite happy to turn around and "bite the hand that fed her".

Elsewhere, I stated that her experience of the Yagya and Brahma Kumarism is colored by her Father Robin Ramsay's status within the organization. He/The family is very wealthy and has made large financial contributions to the Brahma Kumaris, he has paid/financially supported individuals BKs working on his projects and there is a distinct blurring of service and self-interests.

Tamasin despite not following the Maryadas, e.g. it is commonly knows she did not always follow celibacy, lived a BK half-life, has been afford privileges or indulgences that ordinary BKs would not have had at Madhuban and elsewhere. Because of this, I find her witness suspect. If an Indian sister had done the same, how would she have been treated.

Although I do not find her deeply and simply honest, and I find her lack of accuracy frustrating, I would still recommend the thesis as a snapshot of how the BK WANT to be seen ... rather than are.

We clashed over her claims that Robin Ramsay's 'Tao of Traveler' movie was an "independent movie" when it was directly inspired by BapDada, supported by facilities at the BKWSU and the community (hence all the free services given by other BKs), and is used widely as BKWSU service device.

I argued that not only was it a BKWSU service device but that it was also further evidence of a decline of standards amongst Western BKs where "service" and the Yagya are being used for personal self-interest. It is also my opinion that this trend of BKs using Brahma Kumarism for academic self-advancement is more evidence of the same principle. It is BKWU PR (service) ... is it self-interest (career advancement) ... is it honest academia? You would be in a better position than me to judge.

This is her below ...

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