I think that is exactly the issue that non-BKs pick up on and "take sorrow" from - to put it into BK speak. That is to say, BKs are led to think that it is "not their fault" because they are not 'actively' hurting the other, their family, wife, whoever but are indeed 'passively' hurting them by the inner rejection or detachment. BKs are led to think this sorrow is the others' problem, their karma and "their decision" if they 'take sorrow'.arjun wrote:I don't think Baba has prohibited BKs/PBKs from being friends with each other, but He cautions them against being attached/familiar ...
Sure, the idealised Brahma Kumari is bound to be perfectly polite, friends, tolerant etc ... all the divine virtues present. But they are withholding those internal, emotional, spiritual parts of themselves that "common people" call love, friendship and family ties. I would call the BK Brahmin position more one of 'diplomacy' than 'friendship'.
The idealised BK Brahmin is diplomatic to others, the BK community is diplomatic, not friendly, to external communities but ultimately rejecting of anyone not accepting its dogma and that rejection goes even as far as physical and spiritual family members.
How do we define and perform friendship if we cannot drink with them, eat their food, (mostly) show affection, socialise, laugh with them, lend money to them, play football or small talk, holiday with them, help them for the fear of creating new karmic bonds and alway be operating like double agents taking pulses and calculating "maximum benefit".
The BK path is one of breaking all bonds except for with one. Those bonds are the very things the rest of the world, calls love and uses to hold their family and societies together. Our relationship as Brahma Kumari followers is more akin to aloof missionary colonialists amongst uncivilised, undeveloped natives looking down upon them with mercy (except for where they are rich, powerful and institutionally useful to us).
Obviously, such a definition is not personally towards you or anyone here but is, I think, entirely concordant with the classes and directions given. It may even be ultimately the correct position to take ... who knows ... it is certainly a fairly traditional one for a certain sort of religiosity. For example, I don't drink alcohol even "socially". I would say that alone cuts me out of about 90% of friendly, social interactions in the West. It stops me 'making new friends' and thereby cuts out everything that new relationships would bring into my life; social connections, employment opportunities etc.
A friend thinks first of their friend or family, BKs tend to have this little split second gap where they think and put first Baba and the senior sisters. As "good" BK follower's best yukti is just to keep them selves so busy...