There has been an increasing amount of confusion created by the so-called “World Spiritual University” using such classical terms as “Brahmin” or “Raja Yoga” for its practises. Likewise, despite its inception 70 years or less ago, “senior faculty members” are increasing claiming its teachings to be “ancient” or centuries old when they are not. Again trading on other quite separate traditions. The BKs run a considerable number of front organizations to give credability to what are the same evangelic ambitious, that it was thought time to start documenting these on the internet.
Given that significant controversies over child abuse cover up, violence towards breakaway groups and the experience of ex-members have arisen, an independent website on the BKWSU has been established, run by a variety of ex-BKs with teacher and administrator experience within the organization, please see; http://www.brahmakumaris.info/ For a support discussion site on the BKWSU Brahma Kumaris, please see;
http://www.brahmakumaris.info/indexbb.html
This website makes public most if not all of the teachings, practises and personal experiences of BKs, ex-BKs and PBKs allowing individuals to make up their own minds, including copies of the core scriptures – allegedly channelled messages direct from God – called Sakar Murlis.
What ever good may exist within the BK community, one should realise that it is an “End of the World” cult based on channelled mediumship. A channelled Spirit that claims to be the one God of humanity and predicts the Destruction of the world by Nuclear Holocaust, death of 6 Billion people, the sinking of the continents followed by a Heaven on Earth for its BK followers only. This spirit that is, or claims to be, “God” predicted this “Destruction” would happen in 1975 or 1976. The date keeps being pushed back but business keep becoming better for them. Likewise, the population figures of the world are regularly revised as actual figures increase. Currently, they are speculating on the virgin birth of their leader Lekhraj Kirpalani
who is going reincarnate as Shri Krishna immanently. As one recruiter for the group writes on many web forums, “the bombs have been made … they will be used”. They expect their heaven to follow a Nuclear holocaust. This is all a far cry from the “Peace of Mind”, “Values Education”, “Self Management Leadership” that they use as a New Age front to their many organizations but, scripturally it is accurate. The main concern if that the Seniors within the organization are re-editing the original channelled teachings. The channelled Spirit is, it claims, the Supreme God and the process of channelling continues at the organizations headquarters in India
via a little old Indian lady. They claim that not just “God” comes into but that the spirit of their dead founder Kirpalani does so too. They are engaged in a continual process of revising their history and re-editing
their God’s teachings.
The BKWSU is also sees itself as the single, true source of all other religions. It teaches its followers that all other religious leader must and will come to it to learn spirituality. Its god is the only one Supreme god
that all other religions worship and the BKWSU are the only true teachers. The God states that only the or BK Brahmin are pure and the rest of the world is Impure, or Shudras. That is the Hindi word for lowest class
Untouchables. Consequently, it hides the teaching of its god, called Sakar Murlis, and does not allow public access to them as the general public has “Impure Intellect” and would not understand them.
Central to their faith is belief in time being only 5,000 years long. In fact, one identically, eternally repeating 5,000 years Cycle; a pure elevated heaven on earth with Krishna and Radha for them 5,000 years ago
becoming a “devil-filled” hell on earth at the end of the 20th Century for us now. Hell on earth destroy by their God coming and the power of their yoga making way or their Heaven again in approximately 2036 with Krishna.
They teach that dinosaurs existed only 2,500 years ago. Followers must be strictly vegetarian and celibate, no procreation nor even masturbation. Followers can only eat the food cooked by themselves or other followers.
Physical relatives are no longer seen as family, only other BK Brahmins are, and relatives are referred to as “lokiks, or “worldly”, shudras if they do not become members.
Lifestyle involved getting up at 4 am every day to meditation for 45 mins, daily class at 6.30 am, more meditation or service in the evenings and weekends. No days off, no holidays as such. Followers are expected to visit the headquarters to meet “God”, hear the “Murli”, God speaking and be recharged.
Sadly, the BKWSU has not been immune to controversy and, indeed, is increasingly finding itself exposed to more mainly due to the power of the internet;
. the cover up of the child sex abuse
. organized violence in numerous states of India targetting break away
revisionist group called PBKs
. validity of charity status
. criticism from UN due to its over exaggeration of relationship with the UN
that it has used to establish its credibility.
. suicides of ex-members
. knife murder in center
. many broken marriages and families
. acquisition of properties
. targetting of recently bereaved women etc

So, is the BKWSU Brahma Kumaris a cult? Perhaps the question is not to ask, “does it have cult-like nature?” but “Does God need to run a cult in order to teach humanity?” It may be that humanity needs and likes being in one cult or another.
It is worthwhile mentioning what you are likely to experience in dealing with BKs. In the early days of “Knowledge”, they go through a kind of high called “The Honeymoon Period. They are very pleasant to deal with in a kind of spaced out, peaceful innocent manner. This high does not last and they experience a come down from where they are encouraged to “make efforts” in order to reach the high. It is really in this period that they enter into denial and dealing with many BKs becomes difficult.
They do operate in groups internationally, they do pool information about individuals outside of the organization and share it, they will press ex-members for information about others and tend to target critics with ad hominen attacks, e.g. the founder of the PBK movement was apparently subjected to many trumped up police charges. Their global IT team is a classic example of this behavior. In such attacks, they will use and have the co-operation of part-time members or associates that are unaware of the full teachings.
The BKWSU also uses institutional pressure to remove critical articles and control the media produced about them. They will work in groups to hunt down sources of information, using ex-members as contacts, targetting media people. In this manner, the organization is starting to appear more cult-like, as per the Scientologists. They are becoming more paranoid about their Murli teachings being revealled on the internet and hide them security-encrypted behind passworded websites. When “God” speaks in India via the old Indian lady that is the channel medium, he is streamed by secure audio video channels only. Students are discouraged from emailing Murlis.
In the beginning of their history there was a strong “Anti-Party” movement against them that hounded them out of Pakistan. Their teachings predict similar events towards the end of the time/Destruction. Any inklings of natural disaster, war, resistance tend to trigger off “End of the World” speculations within them.
They are very precious about the United Nations affiliations which have in the past been exaggerated to the point where the UN had to caution them.
These are used universally to give status and credibility to their front organizations which tend to hide the actual claims or teachings they follow.
From the Wikipedia article on the BKWSU; A list of BKWSU front organizations and business that are run and staffed by BKs involved in promoting BKWSU beliefs. At events promoted by any one of these entities, one might find other BKs present under the mantle of “representing” one of the other organizations rather than the BKWSU in aself-reciprocating manner.

the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organisation
the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization
Inner Space
Living Values Education Program
Self Management Leadership
Visions of a Better World Foundation
The Janki Foundation
Brahma Kumaris Spiritual Study Foundation
Brahma Kumaris Educational Society
Global Retreat Centre
Oxford Leadership Academy
BK Publications [BKIS Limited]
Relax 7
Soul Power Seminars
World Renewal Trust and others.