THE DUCHESS in Alice in Wonderland is not one to encourage thoughtful exchange with her:"OFF WTH THEIR HEADS!" she demands of those who question her authority.
CHAPTER FOUR
In Australia, as in many parts of the world, BK stakeholders, especially those who came as sparkly eyed young followers in the 1980’s, have become less sparkly eyed senior citizens of the 2016’s. So recently a Seniors
Wing was started in Australia, facilitated by a senior citizen BK, with board approval. An online newspaper ‘Olde News’ was begun to help communication. Among other articles, the letter below was published:
‘Many of us who have been around since the eighties followed directions we were strongly given and never bought a house or a flat, or, if we
did have one, sold it and give the money to the BKWSU. Many of us dropped out of university, or left a thriving career and, of course, didn't marry ( most of us) or have children. That was accompanied by giving whatever money we did have to
the BKWSU.
All of this was done with most of us thinking we would no longer be here in the physical in 2016. The problem is of course
that we are still here, and now there are many who are aging and have nothing in place for any way to be looked after as we get even older.
There
is no family to care for us, as we didn't have one. No partner, ditto... no money as we gave most of that to the Yugya and no house to sell, in short nothing at all. There has never been anything set up to care for people who have given everything...
at least not in the West. In India. I know, that there are often still big lokik families to 'go home to'.... and people do.
This would seem to be a topic for some real discussion. I
don't know if there is a solution, but I think it would be good to address it’.
The letter drew this response from another 1980’s
BK:
'Dear Seniors Wing,
Like so many deep
subjects that are addressed in genuine spiritual endeavour, the simple matter of family is a profoundly important one. I don't know about others, but I made the terrible mistake of trivializing family, failing to understand that one day I might just be sitting
in an apartment with no one to look after me, should something go terribly wrong suddenly. And, much more subtly, having no psychological security blanket of close ones around me, or at least within reach. Other important
matters that were trivialized were: money, property, relationships of all kinds.
Will Baba look after me? Will my own good fortune carry me along…. Is there any saying that confirms "moments of terrible insecurity are a good thing"? I hope
there is.
The bottom line is that it's a lonely path. There are comrades, and they are great comrades, but ones karmic lot is one’s own, however bizarre, complex, simple, good, bad,
other..... it may be. And that is not intended to sound dire or grim, although it sometimes is, let's be frank.
I'm not sure there are any answers. I do think this forum is healthy and helpful'.
However, this thoughtful letter of response was not published: Mr Hogg refused to allow the publication of this response in ‘Olde
News’, presumably on the usual grounds of defending the reputation of BKA, already tarnished by well documented deceit and censorship. As a result the Seniors Wing facilitator resigned. He then received a private email of justification for the censorship
from Mr Hogg and his board : the board apparently also circulated this private email, which further peeved the facilitator.
The writer of the letter above told us that he didn't think his letter ‘deserved
a XXX Rating’ and suppression. We agree.
As another old BK observed about the censorship: “I’m really interested in why organisations go into perceived self-protection mode and
become self-serving once they become a certain size. It becomes more about the reputation, rather than the wellbeing of stakeholders. Censorship is a very interesting thing”.
Indeed. If
you wish to engage in fostering the genuine well being of BKA stakeholders, rather than try to protect the reputation of BKA, it will likely be a challenge friends, as we have illustrated elsewhere on this site. Mr
Hogg and his board apparently prefer to walk in the footsteps of the Duchess in 'Alice in Wonderland'. To those who attract her disapproval she demands: ‘Off with their Heads!’
LATEST: We understand that 'OLDE NEWS' is no longer a BKA board approved publication, and Mr Hogg and his board now plan to appoint a new Seniors Wing facilitator, presumably with a rather more pliant disposition.
Meantime, this means that articles are now free to be published uncensored, and we are happy to report that the article above was printed in the April edition. We deplore the BKA Board's action, however.