Virender go home

[Guest guest]

Samba wrote:

 

> This is a good point, I used to think that ISKCON would save me, and that

> I didn't have to do anything but chant and follow orders. It took years

> before I realised I was just being exploited by the then current regime,

> and that most of the leaders had no actual interest in MY advancement, but

> lots of interest in getting me out on the street to collect money (for

> their grand projects).

 

And that is a sad realization I fear you share with thousands of others.

 

> No one ever asked me how I felt, or if I needed anything. Those that made

> the most noise were sometimes begrudgingly accomodated, and the rest

> either bit the bullet, or those that asked too many questions, were

> demonised (like Pradyumna Prabhu).

 

I believe it has been the same in basically most places.

 

> We have many very rich lessons to learn from. I wonder if we are actualy

> looking at those lessons, and drawing instruction from them?

 

The question is, who are these "we"? I believe many have learned a lot from

the mistakes of the past, but the question is whether those people feel like

they have a place in ISKCON or not. Because it seems like the leaders in

ISKCON are slow and often unwilling to learn these things, and to draw

instructions from them...

 

I suspect

> that in some places this exploitation may still be going on. The GBC only

> just apologised for what they did to Pradyumna more than 20 years ago. The

> rule of Harikesa Prabhu has only just come to a grinding halt. How much

> more deviation, that springs from the same mindset that banished Pradyumna

> is yet to be uncovered?

 

For people acting as if they are spiritually advanced, but who are not

really, I suppose there is always more to be uncovered. If everyone would

come down to earth, it would maybe not be so interesting to uncover so much,

because we would not claim to be very great. The worst is when it becomes

spiritual hypocracy.

 

> One thing I noticed in my few years in ISKCON is that we hardly ever look

> back at what we did wrong, and try to avoid the same mistakes. Rather we

> replace the persons in charge at the time of wrongdoing, by someone who

> often repeats the same mistakes all over again, but in different

> circumstances and places.

 

That is the way it works. Gives me pretty little confidence in the ISKCON

management, I have to admit.

 

> Our loving Srila Prabhupada took personal care of the devotees, (I

> remember Yamuna Mataji describing how he even 'spoiled' the devotees with

> his love) and I feel his central message was that we are each responsible

> for our own spiritual lives. It is up to US to find someone who realy has

> the qualification to take us home. Dont blindly accept anyone who promotes

> another as a spiritual authority. Diligently study Srila Prabhupadas

> books, and understand that he instructs each person to become

> INDEPENDANTLY advanced in Krishna Consciousness.

 

The way to go.

 

> Prabhupadas books are full of instructions telling us to accept that which

> is favourable for our *personal* Krsna Consciousness and reject that which

> is unfavourable. This means that each and everyone of us is responsible

> for our own advancement by accepting service which we are best suited for

> according to our nature, and not necesarily that which is needed by the

> local authority, who may or may not have our best interests in mind.

 

Excactly.

 

> Of course in emergencies we do the needful, but that should not be for the

> long term or if it is to the detriment of our delicate spiritual standing.

> The Lord is in control, and he can make or break a temple with or without

> us. We have to do what is best for our advancement, and accept or not

> accept instruction with gravity and appropriate deliberation.

 

In my opinion, people are more important than buildings or anything else. If

we are not properly situated, how can we genuinely attract others? And how

long will things last if we are not properly situated? What you are saying

should be obvious, and one can get it confirmed from anyone with good

leadership skills. But those are rare in ISKCON, because they easily get

scared away by the way things work in this movement.

 

> For many years I desisted voicing my thoughts in these areas for fear of

> being branded a heretic. The publishing of Pradyumna Prabhus letter by the

> GBC has heartened me that we are entering a new era of transparency and

> open dealings. Open debate is good, and none of us should be afraid of

> being reprimanded, or pulled up in cases where we may have misunderstood

> the philosophy, or offended others. This is good for our advancement, and

> shows that we are a dynamic spiritual group, that is not afraid to

> challenge assumptions which are sometimes misplaced

 

I was also positively surprised of the GBC's handling of that issue this

year. It is definately a step in the right direction. Let's hope that more

of the same is to follow. It was the first time ever I saw them apologize in

public for anything.

 

Their attempts come so late, however, that I personally need more to be

convinced. I need to see a lot of changes, especially in regards to who are

allowed to stay as leaders, otherwise their actions and decisions have

little to do with my life. Leaders who have abused their positions for

decades are not forgiven just because they say they are sorry once. Either

they have to change their style and seriously apologize to those they have

abused (and I am talking all kinds of abuse), or they will have to just step

down, accepting that they should take a more humble position. Or they must

be removed and replaced by qualified people. Or we may have to re-evaluate

our authority structure, if we find out that we actually don't have very

many qualified leaders...

 

Ys

Jkd