Show us the Guru-Krsna Letter That's a Real Apology

[Guest guest]

On Fri, 11 Dec 1998, WWW: Pancha Tattva Dasa (Alachua FL - USA) wrote:

 

''[Text 1926281 from COM]

 

''Did you post this email message somewhere on this conference?

 

I did not, prabhu. That was meant primarily for New Raman Reti devotees, for

I had previously written "A Conspirator Speaks" and sent it to both CHAKRA &

VNN, in which I made a briefer statement to the same effect.

 

'' So far, I've found messages of an entirely different mood - you know, the

''verbal sparring followed by falsely contrite declarations of being the most

''fallen and foolish, etc., etc.

 

Not falsely contrite, I humbly submit. Any expressions of being fallen and

foolish are my best attempts to be honest--they are not to be necessarily

linked to contrition. As for contrition, I have also done my best to

honestly express it. You now accuse me of "false contrition," but I humbly

disagree with your judgement.

 

''Since I find your posts on this conference at variance from your previous

''humble offering, I feel compelled to ask: Was that apology genuine?

 

Yes, prabhu: genuine.

 

''Did you forget that some devotees, particularly your mothers, were deeply

''offended by the crude and slanderous posts from the GHQ conference you

''participated in

 

No prabhu, I have not forgotten that.

 

''the conference in which your own spiritual master, Hrdayananda Maharaja, was

''declared an opponent of the conference members (a 'purvapakshin,' I believe)?

 

I have already given my best explanation on that point, also, prabhu.

 

''Or was your 'formal apology' a mere formality, a tactic of deception and

''manipulation espoused on the GHQ conference?

 

I honestly say it was not. Time will reveal everything in due course.

 

Since you have kindly shared my letter above, I will reciprocate in kind

with your grace by including your reply (also dated 11/26) to that very

letter of mine:

--------------

 

Dear Guru-Krsna prabhu,

 

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

 

Very nice, prabhu. Because you are a Vaishnava, you are meek and

humble. You did not give ofense, and if you perceive that others may

be offended, you ask their forgiveness.

 

Thank you for teaching me by your good exmaple.

 

 

Your servant,

 

Pancha Tattva dasa

------------------

 

I remain humbly endeavoring to become,

your servant in service to ISKCON,

Guru-Krsna das (HDG)

*dharmo-rakshati rakshitaha*

[Guest guest]

Dear Guru-Krsna prabhu,

 

My response to your apology was based on my confidence that you meant it for

all devotees who were disturbed by your participation in GHQ. Your posts lead

me to fear that my confidence was wrongly placed.

 

You might consider that your apology should have been made to more devotees

than those of the New Raman Reti community, since there are devotees all over

the world who were deeply offended by the contents of the GHQ conference.

Mother Hare Krsna dasi is one such Vaishnava. Rather than provoking her even

more, don't you think you should make amends? If you took the same approach

with her that you appeared to take with the devotees in New Raman Reti, I

assure you the results would be beneficial.

 

 

 

Your servant,

 

 

Pancha Tattva dasa

[Guest guest]

On Fri, 11 Dec 1998, WWW: Pancha Tattva Dasa (Alachua FL - USA) wrote:

 

''My response to your apology was based on my confidence that you meant it for

''all devotees who were disturbed by your participation in GHQ. Your posts lead

''me to fear that my confidence was wrongly placed.

 

I wrote my apology to the New Raman Reti devotees after already having sent

"A Conspirator Speaks," to IWM, IWC, DMW, Mother Sudharma, both CHAKRA and

VNN (which VNN kindly posted, CHAKRA did not), the final paragraph of which

is:

 

"Finally, I offer my sincerest apologies to any and all whom I may

have offended by my participation on GHQ and humbly invite personal

correspondence for the purpose of conciliation. With straw between my teeth,

I seek forgiveness for offenses and also blessings to remain in the service

of the Vaisnavas."

 

I then decided to make a second statement of apology specifically to the New

Raman Reti community, since I am resident here and also since IWM is based

here. The same statement surely could have been broadcast internationally,

but CHAKRA still has not yet posted anything from GHQ members, and VNN and

DMW had already posted "A Conspirator Speaks." This and other conferences

were not added as receivers, because I am not a member.

 

''You might consider that your apology should have been made to more devotees

''than those of the New Raman Reti community, since there are devotees all over

''the world who were deeply offended by the contents of the GHQ conference.

 

Yes, although I assumed I was addressing the international cybercommunity of

devotees through VNN and CHAKRA, I could have tried to send it as X Receiver

(but as of now, I actually don't even know if the ordinary rank and file

devotee is allowed to send that way).

 

''Mother Hare Krsna dasi is one such Vaishnava.

 

And Her Grace Mother Hare Krsna dd did take the time to write me a very

polite letter. As far as I understood, we agree to disagree on the issues at

hand but agree that Vaisnava aparadha is "not cricket."

 

''Rather than provoking her even more, don't you think you should make

''amends?

 

Our difference of opinion on the matter of guilt or innocence remains. I am

doing my humble best not to provoke mataji, in the course of simulatenously

strongly disagree with her blanket judgement of guilt for all GHQ members.

 

''If you took the same approach with her that you appeared to take with the

''devotees in New Raman Reti, I assure you the results would be beneficial.

 

Yes, good point, prabhu. I will take your advice as far as I am able. As I

mentioned, my first apology was cyberwide and also to IWM, IWC, etc., HG

Mother Hare Krsna dd therefore being included. (And she did respond.)

And now that you have herein posted the essence of my apology to New Raman

Reti, I hereby agree that it may be taken as further extension of public

apology of mine to the worldwide community of devotees.

 

Thank you very much!

Hare Krsna!

 

And I remain endeavoring to become

 

your servant in service to ISKCON,

Guru-Krsna das (HDG)

*dharmo-rakshati rakshitaha*

[Guest guest]

Guru Krishna prabhu wrote:

 

> "Finally, I offer my sincerest apologies to any and all whom I may have

> offended by my participation on GHQ and humbly invite personal

> correspondence for the purpose of conciliation. With straw between my

> teeth, I seek forgiveness for offenses and also blessings to remain in the

> service of the Vaisnavas."

 

I am happy to see that you offer your sincerest apologies like that. But one

thing is lacking for me to be satisfied, and I would not be surprised if the

same goes for others, and that is that you see yourself what has offended

people, and apologize specifically for that. If you don't believe that you

did anything wrong, then what is the value of the apology? And if you now

see that you did something wrong, then why not point out what you did wrong?

That would be a truly satisfactory apology, otherwise it has limited value,

because it could seem like it was made just to please the public.

 

Ys

Jkd