r/SPAB

For me BAPS as religious organisation died with Pramukh swami , now its just a corporate organisation show offing there money. (I am from baps follower family)

This is only for gays and bisexuals who are in satsang which doesn’t accept being gay. I am ex-Satsangi and wanted to share

when I shared my story on Reddit that I’m gay, I got a lot of DMs from people.

First of all, a huge thank you to all those people who messaged me to support me, offered sympathy, or just shared their own stories. Many messages were unexpected for me and honestly, it felt good that people talked without judging.

But some DMs seemed like maybe the person on the other end was confused about their own sexuality. Some people mentioned or felt like they might be gay or bisexual but hadn’t explored their sexuality at all.

Some people come from very religious backgrounds, where they felt a lot of guilt and shame around their sexuality. So maybe they’ve been suppressing their feelings inside.

I just want to say this:
It's absolutely okay to question your sexuality.

Gay, bisexual, straight—being anything isn’t shameful in itself. If you practice satsang, are religious, spiritual, or follow something else, questioning your sexuality or trying to understand it doesn’t make you a bad person.

If someone has doubts about their sexuality and genuinely wants to talk, you can DM me. I’m not an expert or a therapist, but I can definitely share based on my personal experience.

And one more important thing—sex itself isn’t something wrong. But that doesn’t mean you should have sex with anyone just out of confusion or desperation.

Having sex with the wrong person can create an emotionally and practically very difficult situation.

These days, cheating, fraud, catfishing, and taking advantage of people also happen. So if you’re exploring your sexuality, don’t rush into it. First, build trust with the other person, understand your boundaries, and keep your safety in mind.

It’s not necessary to live in guilt and shame by suppressing your sexuality. But exploring it doesn’t mean you have to be physical with someone right away.

Besides, there are some NGOs and organizations that help people understand their sexuality, acceptance, and provide mental/emotional support. I personally have never been to such an organization, but I know many are doing great work in this area.

If you feel things are getting difficult because of guilt, shame, or confusion, talking to a good therapist is completely fine. There’s no shame in it.

You don’t have to figure everything out alone. Take your t****ime,** understand yourself and be kind to yourself. ❤️

Your friend ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Baps are putting big Statues of Nilkanth ...if he was alive how would he feel? Baps are completely ignoring his written Will /undisputable When Gunatitanand Swami was around did little boys dance around him? If Gunatitanand Swami was where Gopananand Swami or Acharaya was , who would be honoured more?

In effect this big Statue is there to promote Baps...only way to get salvation is to please the guru by seva and money..and the Guru. ..Massive Public Relations exercise.

I just watched a documentary about the American civil war with lots of photos of the people and events. ..1861to 65 and Gunatitanand Swami died 1867. If you saw a photo of Aksharbrahm / number 2 in whole universe , would that convince you he was number 2 , just behind number 1 , Ghanshyam Pandey and he was same devine body as Bhagatiji Maharaj etc? Think about it. Number 2 in the whole universe and he didn't insist people worship him unlike Shastriji Maharaj who put his image in Mundir for the world to worship and started doing Murti Prathistha and initiate men into sadhus, all against written wishes of Bhagwan Swaiminarayan ( in Shikshapatri).

In the Muslim faith Mohamed said he was the last prophet. Bhagwan Swaiminarayan also knew a man could convince everyone that they were a prophet/devine in some way and only way to salvation and be worshipped. How did both know this was possible?

Just look at the cults and how they operate ..there are some excellent programmes on TV ..then look at Mahant Swami and baps...

Maine satsang chodaa kyuki main gay hoon.

Maine kisi ko bola nahi but Mujhe pata hai ki kisi ko bolta toh koi accept nahi karte.

Sab log acche hai but koi accept nahi karta gay log ko. Samaaj nahi, satsang nahi. Support ka matlab hota hai ki samaj badhana aur paise Dena satsang mein aur bade bade chezein bolna kaise “Mera bohot accha hua hai Satsang join kar k”. Ye kabhi kabhi Amway ki Tara lagta hai.

Mujhe swami sant se Milne ka opportunity kam mila kyu ki mein itna Ameer nahi hooon, nahi itna bol-bacchan. Introvert hoon.

But Mujhe koi regret nahi hai. Accha hua jo bhi hua 🤷‍♂️

Main jab tha toh batwara hua, do hisson mein aur log ek dusre k bare mein galat galat bolne lage

Agar koi sawal hai, toh pooch sakte ho. Ye mat poocha Kaunsa group tha, hint hai ki recently ye group ke 2 hisse hue hain

Not attacking. Trying to understand something that doesn’t add up theologically.

The foundational teaching of BAPS is that we are the atma, not this body. The atma has no gender. This isn’t a side point. It is the bedrock of Akshar Purushottam Darshan. Every sabha, every pravachan reinforces it. You are not your body. You are the atma.

So why is every restriction that applies differently to women based entirely on the body?

Women sit in the back during aarti. Body. Women cannot speak directly to a sant. Body. Sants cannot look at women. Body. Women cannot become sants. Body. Women must relay messages to the guru through a male relative. Body.

Not one of these rules is based on the quality of someone’s atma, their devotion, their gnan, or their bhakti. Every single one exists because of what body someone was born into. But we are taught that identifying with the body is the fundamental mistake that keeps the jiva trapped in maya.

So which is it? Either the atma truly transcends the body and these restrictions should not exist, or the body does matter when it is convenient for maintaining certain structures and we should stop telling women they are the atma and not the body because the sanstha itself does not operate on that principle when it comes to them.

Take it one step further. BAPS proudly teaches that Bhagatji Maharaj was born into what society considered a low caste. This is held up as proof that the atma transcends caste and spiritual greatness is not determined by birth. Beautiful. Revolutionary.

Now apply the same logic to gender. If a man from a low caste can become the guru because the atma transcends caste, why can a woman not become a sant because the atma transcends gender? If the answer is tradition, then tradition was also the justification for the caste discrimination that Bhagwan Swaminarayan himself dismantled. He looked at sati and said this is wrong. He looked at female infanticide and said this is wrong. He did not accept “this is how it has always been” as a reason to continue injustice.

Would he look at what we do now and say this is right?

I found a very interesting email that i was bcc'ed in between a young man questioning things and a sadhu. Very interesting response. Redacted. From 2010.

Original Email:

Here is ok, Basically was thinking about religion as a whole initially in

regards to its 'use' and the various different religions that do exist.

Anyway I thought of a few questions that I asked myself but would like to

know your opinions too.

 

Firstly, do you think you would have been a satsangi today if you were born

into a different family? and particularly for yourself would you have

become a sadhu? Secondly, what is it about BAPS that makes you sure that it

is the 'right choice'? For example many Christians say that Christianity is

right as Jesus came back to life, thus showing proof that he is able to do

the same for us too. Finally, more generally why do you believe that there

is a god in the first place? Obviously these are not 'easy' questions, no

hurry to get back to me either :) I myself dont really have clear answers

but I would be very interested in hearing what your thoughts are especially

as you have committed to living your life in such a way.

 

Many thanks

REDACTED

REPLY from SPAB Sadhu

Jai Swaminarayan xx

 

Interesting.

Very interesting questions.

I remember some of the questions you had asked previously as well.

Looks like you have been doing a lot of thinking.

 

Well, firstly, I would like to know why and how these thoughts have come about?

 

Secondly, answering in writing is not a good idea otherwise I will be here all year.

We will have to talk over the phone or when we meet next.

 

There are answers – not too difficult ones that will clear things up.

 

Hope your studies are going well.

Finished exams?

 

When can you come ‘down’ for a chat?

Let me know so we can book some time for you… as it will always create other questions as well.

Does he need to answer any letters? Yes. USP of Baps is that you got connection with GOD..you can write him a letter and get a reply and talk to him!!! Connection with a living man/human. Infact if you're a devotee if Baps you've got God in your pocket..you can contact him with your Mobile. Do you need a conscious to tell you right from wrong? No you can ask him or his Sadhus ( or his lawyers /accountants and businessmen..if it's bringing money into Baps ..is what God wanted ...Even paying poor workmen less than US legal minimum in India)

He doesn't need to do much else now..in old days Gurus ran after devotees to ask for money ...I even know if a widow in Mumbai being asked for money when it was already hard for her to bring up children.

Followers are working hard to increase his brand. Progagate the philosophy that you get human birth after millions of other births and there is a hell ...and only way to get salvation is to please Aksharbrahm...Mahant Swami. you do this by giving seva and money.

Devotees work to earn his money and put his photo into big Mundirs for worship. If philosophy is spread HE gets it all...young boys from families and money . Then get lawyers accountants businessmen to look after the money and make more money to spread philosophy that for everyone on earth he is only one to give salvation.