RE: [world-vedic] Hare Krishna's a Cult?

[Guest guest]

I am surprised by your questions, Thera are many academical and cientiphics

works and books that from many scholar from Harvard, Berkely, Oxford, Yale,

that demostre that Hare Krsna movemment never had been a cult. You can get

very nice information with ISKCON Comications journal and Steven Rosen they

can connect to you with thounsands of scholars especilaist in this matter,

If you speak spanish you can be in the Forooriental inologicial

conference.

Hroacio Fco. Arganis Juarez

Facultad de Ciencias de la Educacion y Humanidades.

 

De: Kunti <Kunti

Para: vediculture <vediculture>

Fecha: Viernes 27 de Abril de 2001 1:27 PM

Asunto: [world-vedic] Hare Krishna's a Cult?

 

 

>Are Hare Krishna's a Cult?

>

>

>Hi, my name is Rachel Jacobson and I am preparing to write an A-Level

>Religious Studies project on the topic of Hare Krishna. I was

>wondering if you would be able to give me any information- my essay

>is to discuss whether Hare Krishna is a "cult" or not. I am sorry for

>not knowing who I am talking to but maybe you could help me by

>telling me what you think about cults and if Hare Krishna is one.

>Thank you very much!

>

>Yours,

>Rachel Jacobson

>

>Dear Rachel,

>

>Thanks for your message and for giving us the opportunity to help a

>little with your research project.

>

>The term "Hare Krishna" refers to the practice of chanting the names

>of God, as promoted in 15th Century India by the great Vaishnava

>saint Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Chaitanya, believed to be an

>incarnation of Krishna Who came to this world to spread the chanting

>of God's names, really promoted a principle found in all major

>religions: that God's name is holy, or transcendental, and capable of

>delivering the materially conditioned soul. Muhammad, Christ, and

>Buddha all promoted the repetition of holy names. This chanting had

>existed in India before Chaitanya's time, and he succeeded in making

>it popular among all classes of people when India was affected by

>Islamic expansion.

>

>God has unlimited names describing His qualities and other

>attributes. We are all familiar with the names Buddha (intelligent),

>Jehovah (powerful), and Allah (merciful). Worshipers of monotheistic

>branches of so-called Hinduism have been chanting these names and

>other names of God for thousands of years. Krishna means all

>attractive, Hare addresses God's energy, and Rama means reservoir of

>pleasure.

>

>As to whether Hare Krishna is a cult, it is too old to be a modern

>day concoction. And the Vedic scriptures such as Bhagavad-gita and

>Srimad-Bhagavatam, which are thousands of years old, authorize it.

>This chanting and other worship practices found in the Hare Krishna

>movement are practiced by Asian Indians all over the world, as has

>been done in India since time immemorial.

>

>The founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness,

>A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, brought this chanting and a few

>books from India to New York City in 1965. His personal simplicity

>and simple message (God is the supreme enjoyer, this is His world, He

>is everyone's best friend, we are meant to serve and love Him) spread

>around the world as he introduced more and more people from various

>backgrounds to the ancient Vedic culture of living God consciously.

>He expected his disciples to strictly follow vows, including no meat-

>eating, intoxication, illicit sex, or gambling, as he did himself.

>The early followers lived in the temples he founded and devoted

>themselves to preaching, distributing books, conducting traditional

>Vaishnava worship ceremonies, and practicing Vedic arts from cooking

>to dancing.

>

>Because so many early adherents were young and passionate about their

>missionary work, Hare Krishna got a reputation for being a cult, in

>the derogatory sense. Eventually they had families, moved out of the

>temples and into the workplace, and began to mingle more and more

>with the rest of society. This natural maturation process has changed

>the ways devotees relate and some interesting cultural and

>philosophical exchanges are taking place.

>

>Dancing and singing Hare Krishnas are regular features in local

>parades. Krishna-run Govinda's restaurants are patronized by a wide

>spectrum of people. A publicly funded and Florida state supervised

>charter school is run by Hare Krishna practitioners on temple

>property in Alachua, Florida. The student body includes a few non-

>devotee neighbors. Hare Krishna devotees are soccer moms and scout

>leaders, realtors, coaches and postal workers. They vote, pay taxes,

>and sometimes even run for local office.

>

>It's also interesting to see cultural hints from this Vaishnava

>culture entering into the larger society: draped, sari like outfits,

>decorative face and hand painting, neck beads, vegetarianism, belief

>in karma and reincarnation to name a few.

>

>Eventually, I think there will be more acceptance and understanding

>all around. Westerners until very recently have generally known very

>little about Asian cultures and philosophies. Throughout my entire

>education, even in college (1950s-70s), I was exposed to very little

>history, geography, or other study involving India or other Eastern

>societies. We were told that civilization began around the Tigris and

>Euphrates Rivers. Now we all know that there are early signs of

>advanced civilization all around the world, from Africa to Tibet to

>Mesoamerica. So I think things are changing for the better.

>

>The important facts are that this is an ancient authorized practice

>and not a man-made concoction for fame, profit, or some other

>material agenda as the common use of the word "cult" denotes. Also,

>that Krishna practitioners of western origin are owning up to

>mistakes made in their youth and addressing important societal issues

>that relate to humans everywhere.

>

>Hope this helps. If you would be so kind, I'd love to get a copy of

>your final paper, or whatever you care to share. Good luck with the

>class!

>

>Kunti Dasi

>editor

>Hare Krishna World

>

>P.S. The Hare Krishna maha-mantra (great chant of deliverance) is:

>

>Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

>Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

>

>Hare Rama Hare Rama

>Rama Rama Hare Hare

>

>

>

>

>

>

>This is an information resource and discussion group for people interested

in the World's Ancient Vedic Culture, with a focus on its historical,

archeological and scientific aspects. Also topics about India, Hinduism,

God, and other aspects of World Culture are welcome.

>

>

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