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The Arbitration Committee has placed this article on probation. The principals in Misplaced Pages:Requests for arbitration/Brahma Kumaris are expected to convert the article from its present state based on original research and BK publications to an article containing verifiable information based on reliable third party sources. After a suitable grace period, the state of the article may be evaluated on the motion of any member of the Arbitration Committee and further remedies applied to those editors who continue to edit in an inappropriate manner. Any user may request review by members of the Arbitration Committee. Posted by Srikeit for the Arbitration committee. See Misplaced Pages:Requests for arbitration/Brahma Kumaris.

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The following Misplaced Pages contributor has declared a personal or professional connection to the subject of this article. Relevant policies and guidelines may include conflict of interest, autobiography, and neutral point of view. Danh108 (talk · contribs) This user has declared a connection. (Connection disclosed on user's talk page.)

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Merging List of Brahma Kumaris

Following the same reasons for beliefs and practices, I am proposing merger for List of Brahma Kumaris. Unless there is any objection, I will propose deletion. GreyWinterOwl (talk) 16:44, 2 December 2013 (UTC)

The way the "List..." article is built, why is it even needed? Brahma Kumari is a term for the follower so is the list intended to list all the followers? And if not and is meant for BKWSU leadership, then there can be a section for key people in BKWSU within the main article and the "List.." article deleted. Changeisconstant (talk) 21:37, 2 December 2013 (UTC)

This page reads like an advert

This page reads like it has be written by Brahma Kumari followers to promote the religion. Has no one been discussing the changes on this page? It's become like an advert.

It's ridiculous. Where do I start? Where do I find the box that says so? Peace,

It's OK. I found it.

There are so many falsehoods or exaggerations on it I don't know where to begin. They have not even got the right date of birth for their leader! --Truth is the only religion (talk) 18:31, 3 August 2014 (UTC)

I agree that we've an advertisement here that clearly isn't being maintained to WP:MOS or our other basic content policies/guidelines. Lots of work to be done! --Ronz (talk) 19:31, 3 August 2014 (UTC)

To clarify, I'm just commenting on the state of the article. I've not looked at any editor's contributions to the article. --Ronz (talk) 16:51, 4 August 2014 (UTC)

Most of the edits made didn't relate to advertising concerns. They deleted RS - lede content primarily lifted from other encyclopaedia's. Good if edit comments are directed towards content issues or Wiki policy. This page has also suffered from ongoing skirmishes between WP:SPA editors committed to the BK world view and WP:SPA editors who seem to have an aversion to that. Unfortunately User: Truth is the only religion you may have innocently walked into an article with a bit of history. Hope you understand. Please also read WP:JDL. Really, if you have legitimate concerns you should be able to identify the offending text and put forward your preferred rewording. Just wholesale deletion of RS doesn't make much sense. BTW, if you can find RS on the founders birth date that would be great. I tried to change it but got reverted and all the RS was stacked against me. Apparently the birth certificate isn't any good because it's not in a published source! Regards Danh108 (talk) 08:59, 5 August 2014 (UTC)

I don't know where to start regarding it being an advert.

Look at the beginning, "often references its association with the United Nations".

What does that mean in plain English? Firstly, the religion does not have an association with the United Nations, it has a consultative status with one office of one to two departs of UNESCO etc. That's a gross exaggerated the Brahma Kumaris like to make. So "often references its association with the United Nations" means just that, "the Brahma Kumaris often exaggerate their relationship with the United Nations".

Now, that is true but is it an important and notable enough to warrant being in the first paragaph? Of course not. It's only there because the BKs want it there for the PR value and to hide the rest of their beliefs and activities.

Then we look at their beliefs, to the bit you restored McGeddon.

There are the Brahma Kumari beliefs and there is how the Brahma Kumaris want their beliefs to be seen. Now, is that actually full, complete or accurate? The fact it is not. If we look at their beliefs, actually they think that all other religions are impure and degrades and all other human beings are "Shudra" (lowest caste), only they are Brahmins (highest caste). Therefore the advertising the BKs have insert is their PR version of their religion.

For the lack of discussion or opposition on this page, the Brahma Kumari followers have turned the article into a vague, misleading and inaccurate PR job.

I believe that is their intention. Ask them if it is true. --Truth is the only religion (talk) 18:17, 9 August 2014 (UTC)

Hi Truth is the only religion, it is great if we can focus on content. You have mentioned one point regarding the UN reference. My recollection was that banned User:Januarythe18th advocated for this reference as he/she held a firm view that the BKs were the ones referencing themselves to the UN (hence the way it's worded in the lede), so making a similar point to you. But now you are having a different take on that, so I have removed it. If you want it re-inserted with a more specific wording about the particularly departments etc the association relates to that's fine with me. I will reinstate the large volumes of RS that was deleted without explanation. Regards Danh108 (talk) 22:16, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

Shocked at the state of this article. It's a puff-piece. Work to be done on it that's for sure. Gefetane (talk) 16:16, 19 August 2014 (UTC)

Although I strongly disagree with the edits of TITOR, which bring the same kind of content of the previous blocked user Jan18 (fringe views, OR, etc.), I do agree that the article in its current state seems to have an excess of content that is possibly irrelevant or undue. Although I find irrelevant whether the excess of content is praising or cursing the subject, what I do find relevant is that we must identify what is due/undue weight and bring the article to a more encyclopedic state based on secondary sources. In my humble opinion, I think this article should be much shorter and more objective. Gefetane and McGedon, please do discuss here and/or edit the article if you think you can help with that. GreyWinterOwl (talk) 12:07, 22 August 2014 (UTC)

I agree with Gefetane. Actually it's even a really badly written puff-piece. It's awful. But perhaps all you will say is that Gefetane must be Januarythe18th too? You're just trying to distract from the fact.

I have another concern. Many of the references are from Brahma Kumari followers. Basically, what you have are Brahma Kumari followers quoting other Brahma Kumari followers about their own religion. This must be a conflict of interest. It is distorting the objectivity of the topic. They have removed many of the third party references because they are critical of the religion but perhaps given their extreme beliefs, those criticism are valid? --Truth is the only religion (talk) 15:09, 26 August 2014 (UTC)

I don't think Gefetane is Januarythe18th because he doesn't make identical edits, comments and accusations like you do, nor is he a brand new account that all of a sudden has intimacy with the content of this article and understands how to edit WP fairly well.

Also what you call "third party sources" that have been removed, are primary sources, non-verified documents written by anti-BrahmaKumaris groups and published by an anti-BrahmaKumaris website. Those documents were only supported by Januarythe18th and were considered inappropriate by many users and admins. And it seems now you want to bring them all back too. It surely must be just a coincidence and I must be a mad zealot. GreyWinterOwl (talk) 23:03, 26 August 2014 (UTC)

Confusion and inaccuracies

I cannot afford the time to go through everything today, but the BK followers have littered the topic with factual inaccuracies and misleading content that do not reflect the references given.

They have also added exaggerated elements which are not referenced.

In addition, they are using references written by other followers and their direct, often long term supporters.

It is nothing less than conscienceless and deliberate self-promotion. --Truth is the only religion (talk) 18:38, 9 August 2014 (UTC)

The principle that articles should be based on independent sources seems to have gone out the window here. Needs addressing. Gefetane (talk) 16:17, 19 August 2014 (UTC)

Unfortunately, I as someone who has looked at the existing material in a number of reference sources on this topic have to say that many or possibly in some cases most of the references they provide are to BK literature. I wish that were not the case myself but it seems to be and unless good independent reliable sources are produced it isn't unreasonable for us to effectively duplicate the substance of the material in highly regarded reference books using basically the sources they use. I can and do wish that were not the situation but my wishes unfortunately aren't enough to bring such sources into existence.John Carter (talk) 23:31, 26 August 2014 (UTC)

Thank you.

I also have to underline the bad faith involved with the current editors.

The date of birth of founder was 1884. Everyone knows that now. It's on his birth certificate. So why do they keep reverting it to 1876?

If they cannot admit his date of birth, and they are not committed to allow a simple accuracy over such a simple issue, how can they be trusted with the rest of the topic? What is their intention?

The thing is, left to their devices, the topic now reads terribly bad. It's full of uncomfortable constructions, unreferenced and fairly meaningless statements most relating to how they want to be seen not how what the religion is. It's a poorly attempted PR job.

Please start with an honest questions to the followers. Was your founder's date of birth 1876 or 1884. If the answer is 1884 then they credibility is zero. They are only here to confuse, distract and control it plain and simple. --Truth is the only religion (talk) 15:05, 26 August 2014 (UTC)

I don't know why others revert the birth date but the reason I revert it is because all secondary sources say it's 1876. There is a document published by an anti-BK website that says 1884, but I can't see any particular reason or wikipedia guideline to support that document here, even if it's true. It basically classifies as WP:OR and no secondary source has ever refered to it. It might also be worth checking out the guideline WP:NOTTRUTH, so even the discussion about whether or not it's true is meaningless in Misplaced Pages. But even if that document is true and that alone mattered for WP, it says "Dada Lekhraj", and I don't think only one Lekhraj has ever lived in India, so it could easily be someone else with the same name. There is no reliability whatsoever for 1884. GreyWinterOwl (talk) 23:50, 26 August 2014 (UTC)

Revert explained.

• While I personally support the DOB date change to 1884, there is an issue with all the RS stating it's 1876. Somewhat like Jimbo's birth date being incorrect on Wiki....them's the rules.
• Apart from that, no other grounds were put forward for deleting 20% of the article in one shot. As per my comments on ANI, I'm not 100% confident in User: Truth_is_the_only_religion yet. But if he/she can find RS to support their date, I will definitely support that edit.
• Tags removed as no consensus. See comments/discussion here
• There is no doubt content to add to this article. The lede has relied primarily on other major encyclopedia's to ensure the Misplaced Pages article is of a similar standard - not that more obscure information about the group gets stuffed into the lede and littered randomly through the article (as was the situation previously).
• It would be really useful if talk page comments related to content rather than making accusations that turn the page into a battleground (incidentally, that was the reason User:JamesBWatson declined User:Januarythe18th unblock requests. I am happy to collaborate with other editors to improve the article.
• It would also really help if talk page comments corresponded to the edits made and could specifically identify text that people think should be changed. Just general assertions and accusations is the real 'puffery' that is presently happening on this talk page, and unfortunately accusations without evidence can be very influential....especially when Misplaced Pages can sometimes be a bit skeptical about anyone who edits pages on small religious/spiritual groups.

Regards Danh108 (talk) 17:02, 27 August 2014 (UTC)

TITOR, if you are genuinely interested in bringing back this article to Misplaced Pages standards, why not follow Misplaced Pages guidelines on taking consensus please. Deleting 20% of article in one go will not improve it. Please discuss changes here supported by sources Changeisconstant (talk) 09:42, 30 August 2014 (UTC)

It is inappropriate for an editor with a personal connection to the Brahma Kumaris group to decide that the article has no COI issues: under WP:COI such a person should not be editing the article directly at all. I have restored the {{coi}} template, and also the {{advert}} regarding the concerns raised above. --McGeddon (talk) 17:38, 5 September 2014 (UTC)

I am sorry, I have been on holiday. And I am editing from a public internet connection today.

This article is awful. It is badly written. It is factually inaccurate. It has clearly be re-written by followers of the religion like an advert whether boasting about having an office at United Nations or this whole business about being a "spiritual organisation"? What is that?

It is a clear act of bad faith for one of them to deliberate provoke matters by reverting the topic to a version with specifically wrong facts.

I need more time to look at it but at present it is an embarrassment. That is the way I feel. --Truth is the only religion (talk) 19:49, 6 September 2014 (UTC)

You gave no argument at all for your 4000 characters bulk delete, except that "followers wrote it". Please explain what exactly is factually wrong based on secondary sources, and please follow WP:TPG to understand what are valid or invalid arguments about article content on WP. By the way, I have given multiple arguments why the only encyclopedic date of birth is 1876, you haven't answered any of them, yet you use DOB as a summary for your bulk delete. GreyWinterOwl (talk) 21:20, 6 September 2014 (UTC)

You all have a strong conflict of interest. The article reads like an advert and needs re-writing as I explained above. I have only started. The fact you revert to inaccurate facts on this and other topic is bad faith. Thank you --22:27, 13 September 2014 (UTC)

Yes of course, now all other editors have a problem, except the editor who keeps deleting 4000+ words to change someone's date of birth - he's is the only sane one....ironically I disagree with User:GreyWinterOwl on this and would happily back you, but we need some RS behind us. Empty accusations are not really that helpful to getting this fixed. Regards Danh108 (talk) 22:32, 13 September 2014 (UTC)

It is true that all three of you have Brahma Kumari connections?

And that Brahma Kumari followers are coordinating their campaign on the Misplaced Pages?

I developed the article to be more accurate and put emphasis on the notable elements. The BKs are reverting to their advert version.

If the BKs would care to confirm or deny my first two questions, then I am happy to continue a discussion of why I think the changes are justified. I would like to suggest that their revision of facts which even they know to me truth is deliberately provocative and its intention is to provoke the appearance of a conflict which they can then use to promote their agenda and discredit anyone that questions them. --Truth is the only religion (talk) 17:33, 18 September 2014 (UTC)

Misplaced Pages ban on Scientology editors

A question to editors or admins who are not Brahma Kumari followers.

I read that Misplaced Pages banned Scientology editors from editing, shouldn't Brahma Kumari editors be banned from editing on Brahma Kumari topics as they have a conflict of interest* and unreliable bias?

If so, how do I propose it and where?

Thank you. --Truth is the only religion (talk) 22:33, 13 September 2014 (UTC)

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/29/wikipedia_bans_scientology/

• https://en.wikipedia.org/Wikipedia:Conflict_of_interest/Noticeboard/Archive_77#Brahma_Kumaris_World_Spiritual_University_2

• Yes, the earlier editor and blocked sock puppet account loved to rant about this same topic Danh108 (talk) 23:12, 13 September 2014 (UTC)

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