This book states objectively the spiritual life and activities of this highly incognito organisation. From its growth period until its current status as a recognised actor in all virtuos areas of life , where man's standards have fallen and caused great sorrow. The high standards set by the Brahma Kumaris have led people outside the organisation to either condemn or praise this organisation. You cannot just overlook their doings, they inevitably invite you to express an opinion. Some people veer back at the notion of perfection and shunt it off as mere pretention, while others welcome it in admiration. It takes great courage to walk the path of the righteous and creates a gap in understanding between people and the members of this organisation or it sets an example. This gap is fortunately amply filled with love, humility ,peacefulness, purity and profound spirituality. The book tells this tale of overcoming adversity towards the establishment of a higher level of human conscience.

This book was given to me. It is a very well written and informative book. But the real truth about the Brahma Kumaris is hidden to the public, very much as Scientology is hidden to the public. Here are some of the hidden real truths about the Brahma Kumaris:

Are they a doomsday cult or a nation of sheep? They believe the more money you give to their organization, the better your position in heaven will be, or as they inisist "the greater your fortune will be". Wealthy individuals and celebrities are considered to be VIP's by God. Since when did God consider bank accounts more important than virtues? If Members fail to follow their principles they will become a servant in heaven ("Golden Age" as they call it). Servants in heaven? Aren't we all equal in heaven (Golden Age)? Speaking of heaven, they believe they will be the first and only ones in heaven. Not even Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, Princess Diana, John Kennedy, Jimmy Stewart, etc. will be in the Golden Age.

The Brahma Kumaris (B.K.) believe that God told them the world is only 5,000 years old and will be destroyed soon. This is why many of them will quit college or will make no effort in earning promotions at work. If the world is only 5,000 years old, when did the dinosaurs appear? When were the pyramids built? How about the meteor craters in the Southwest? Where was Moses? The irony here is that although they preach that the world is coming to an end, they themselves will invest in the stock market and in retirement plans such as IRAs and 401Ks. Why loose weight, buy a house, or get an education when the world is coming to an end? They are brainwashed into serving the leaders of the organization in order to gain a higher status in heaven ("increasing their fortune") before the world ends.

B.K. follow a strict vegetation diet in which food can be eaten only if cooked by their members. You are not allowed to eat food even if your grandmother cooked it. However, many cheat and are not vegetarians; they dine in fast food chains and restaurants. Their unbalanced diet creates obesity and malnutrition among men and women. Many women become human hippos or end up looking like extremely flat chested skinny boys. This could be the reason why so many women (even those in the "higher status according to God") will leave the organization and become sexually insatible when they regain their former healthly figure and once again experience lust (which is forbidden because celibacy is required to enter the Golden Age.)

The once timid women will soon begin to shop at Victoria's Secret because they were required to cover themselves in drab white clothing. They flaunt themselves in extremely revealing clothes as a means of defiance. The men and women that leave the Brahma Kumaris can once again enjoy going to the movies, rock concerts, reading newspapers or novels, watching television, dating, sports, exercise, shopping, and traveling. All of these are forbidden to the Brahma Kumaris lifestyle in order to go to the Golden Age.

After being told daily by "God" that "you are impure and degraded souls", there is eventually a need to escape and return to peace and happiness in the life before the Brahma Kumaris. This explains why so many of them start partying with alcohol and drugs after experiencing such brainwashing. Many of the "deserters" become leaders, managers, start their own business, graduate from college, earn promotions at work, and most importantly, gain self-esteem and the ability to think and reason for themselves once they leave the Brahma Kumaris. However, their return to society is always haunted with guilt and hatred due to remembrance of their once abusive and perverted lifestyle. Although the suicide rate is low, this data hidden from public view.

World's largest doomsday cult or a nation of sheep? You be the judge.

Ms. Hodgkinson's book, "Sex is not compulsory" is one of the best books about celibacy ever written. She explains the downfalls of sex in a very blunt yet thorough way and the advantages of celibacy for both men and women. In an age where celibacy is seen as a taboo, She proves that celibacy is valid, healthy and spiritual. With specific chapters devoted to men, women, young people and married people, she explains how all people can benefeit from celibacy and overrides the myths that celibacy leads to destruction. I also like the fact that this is a book about secular celibacy, not oriented towards an particular religion. Shes a very intelligent woman and a pioneer in what hopefully will become a celibate movement someday.

This book was my first encounter with positive issues concerning celibacy, and certainly the first ever to demonstrate that chastity is a healthy and valid alternative to sex. Largely due to the sex saturated media of the 20th Century, it seems that most view celibacy as a cold, archaic, and ignorant represion of natural tendencies.Not so. This book is not biblical companion, neither is it designed from the point of view of any particular religion. It is easy to read, informative, and applicable to the age we live in. 'Sex is not Compulsory' was for me, one of those books that deeply challenges existing beliefs, and then turn them on their head by the end of the text.For me personally, reading this book has resulted in me no longer wishing to ever have sex (and I'm a 23 year old male!).I thoroughly reccommend 'Sex is not Compulsory' to anyone who is concerned with living a healthy, stress free and productive life.