GBC Restructure

[Guest guest]

Dear Devotees,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Welcome to the GBC Restructure conference. This is a moderated, public

conference. Anyone can join, read texts and send messages to the conference.

However, before your texts are posted, they are read by the moderator. When

conferences are moderated, it is usually to exclude offensive texts or

postings which are not relevant to the subject of the conference. Here, the

purpose is a little different.

 

This conference is unusual because it has a very specific goal: to provide

a plan for presentation to the GBC and ISKCON devotees for rejuvenating and

restructuring the management system in ISKCON. This is not going to be an easy

task to accomplish on a public conference. Therefore, the moderator's role is

to structure the debate to gradually move from general considerations to a

concrete plan. One of the ways this will be accomplished is by limiting the

topics under discussion at any one time. More on this later.

 

The conference was created at the request of participants in the Prabhupada

Disciples conference and I was asked to moderate it. Discussion began there

when Pancaratna Prabhu posted a proposal he had submitted to the GBC about

resignations from that body. Other members of the conference replied with

various concerns and expressed a desire to continue the discussion and broaden

its participation to all interested devotees.

 

Rather than go into details here, I'm posting to this conference

representative texts on this subject from the Prabhupada Disciples conference.

Since I am forwarding these texts to the conference, my name will appear as

the sender. However, when you open the messages, the original senders' names

will be indicated. The forwarded texts will cover these subjects:

 

-- How did this discussion get started?

-- Why does restructuring need to take place?

-- Does the GBC need outside help to enact reform?

-- Who should be GBC?

-- What should the nature of the GBC be?

 

I apologize to authors for any texts I've chosen not to include at this

time.

 

These texts are posted primarily so new participants can catch up quickly

on what's been talked about already. ***** DO NOT REPLY TO THESE TEXTS *****

 

 

I am going to begin two new threads to start off discussions:

 

1) Should sannyasis and gurus be members of the GBC?

 

2) Should the GBC be a managerial or brahminical body?

 

When I post these threads, I'll explain why we are starting with these two

issues. Feel free to respond in the usual way to these texts. The email

address of this conference is:

 

GBC.Restructure (AT) pamho (DOT) net.

 

 

THE GENERAL PLAN OF ACTION:

 

1) Review the posted texts when you join the conference.

 

2) You can read all of Srila Prabhupada's instructions on the GBC at this

Web address:

 

http://www.krishnagalleria.com/resources_archive/sp_on/GBC1.htm.

 

3) We'll try to move through topics in a logical and efficient manner

aiming at reaching a consensus on each important subject.

 

4) We may take straw votes from time to time in order to ascertain whether

a consensus exists.

 

5) The GBC have been made aware of this conference and invited to

participate as individuals.

 

6) With Srila Prabhupada's mercy, we will ultimately create and present a

concrete proposal. Steps to accomplish this goal may include delegating

responsibility to a smaller group to do draft the actual proposal.

 

 

RULES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS CONFERENCE:

 

1) Pray often to Krishna that this effort can move forward without envy,

vindictiveness or selfish motivation.

 

2) Reply only to posted threads. In other words, do not change the subject

line or header of a message. If you do, there will be a substantial delay in

posting your text.

 

3) Do not create a new text with a with a new subject. If you want to

propose a new thread, please send a message to srirama (AT) pamho (DOT) net.

 

4) If you wish to speak out on a subject which is not currently under

discussion in the GBC Restructure conference, don't be frustrated. There are

many other conferences on pamho.net available for your input.

 

5) Texts that contain personal insults, offensive language, false

information or logic meant to intentionally mislead readers, or quotes taken

out of context solely for the purpose of making a point that could not be

supported if the full quote was presented, are not likely to be posted.

 

6) I realize not everyone will agree with the way I moderate the

discussion. If you have a complaint or suggestion, please send me a email at

srirama (AT) pamho (DOT) net.

 

You can review this information at any time by typing:

 

review presentation gbc restructure

 

Thank you joining this conference. We look forward to your participation.

 

Your servant,

Sri Rama das

 

[srirama (AT) pamho (DOT) net]