Letter to Jayanti

08 Mar 09

Sister Jayanti,

As you know BK Esther committed suicide by hanging herself on January 18th. Have you got any idea how much a person must be suffering to take a piece of rope, place that noose around their neck, and then deliberately kill themselves?

No doubt you have endeavoured to absolved yourself and the BKWSU of any responsibility. What excuse did you use? Mental problems? And do you continue to absolve yourself of concern by blaming her karma? We are wondering when you are going to show any sign of caring for those to whom you lecture on the meaning of God’s love. We are wondering when you are going to develop some concern for those over whom you intend to rule from your Golden Aged Throne.

Her tragic and no doubt traumatic death is a clear example of your failure to understand what is happening to the people in your own organisation. This is a glaring example of the need for a duty of care policy – something you have made every effort to avoid beyond reluctant exercises like the so-called “Global Functioning” – but Esther has demonstrated what a belated and useless exercise that has been. It is just a talkfest – you simply have no idea how to PRACTISE duty of care because you don’t care.

The very reason anyone becomes a BK is because they believe they have found the answer to their problems – they believe that they are impure and that is the reason they have these problems in their life. But the inescapable fact is that they have problems and those problems carry a great deal of emotional weight. So, to then turn around and say that Esther killed herself because she had problems, as if she were the exception, is ludicrous.

Brahmins, by default, have a history of emotional dysfunction – it is the very reason they became BKs! THAT IS WHY DUTY OF CARE IS SO IMPORTANT. You simply have to have a system in place that provides support to people like Esther so that they can be counselled and helped – and this is a specialised area that requires special skills. It is clearly a set of skills that you don’t have.

The fundamental issue is that a BK has been encouraged to detach from the lokik world including friends and family, and so when things go wrong who do they turn to? You have taught them to abandon all forms of support and thereby make them dependent on you, but then fail completely to fulfil the obligations that come with that.

When will you recognise the trauma that is inherent to falling apart as a BK? When will you overcome your reductionist, convenient position of “karma, drama, fortune” and practise what you preach – compassion?

Will you continue to not care when the next suicide or breakdown occurs? Will you address the issue of the Sister in Spain who had a mental breakdown and was then prevented from seeing her family? Or Lee James who has been forced into therapy but has still been left responsible for the Brisbane centre? When will you get over yourself and recognise that there are real people with real problems and that the principle obstacle to helping them is you!

The lives and the well being of every BK are at stake. This is bigger than you – do us all a favour and just get out of the way. Let people who care and are capable take responsibility. There are many far better people than you in the Brahma Kumaris. They can make a meaningful difference where you and your staggering self righteousness have proven to be nothing but an obstacle.

https://bkopenletter.wordpress.com/letter-to-jayanti/