offenses against Prabhupada going unchecked

[Guest guest]

On 17 Nov 1999, Babhru das wrote:

 

>Jivan Mukta excerpted a quotation from Pranada's Chakra article in a way

that makes it appear, as Kusa and others have poited out, that she was

saying that ISKCON has no need to follow Srila Prabhupada's example. That is

not at all what she said; rather, what she pointed out was that there is

nothing in Srila Prabhupada's example that precludes giving women an

opportunity to serve the Lord, regardless of temporary bodily designation.

To imply otherwise shows either sloppy thinking or malice.

 

>>Jivan Mukta Prabhu wrote:

>>NEITHER local custom NOR examples set by Srila Prabhupada obligates ISKCON

managers to >>enforce a rule that women cannot take darsana in the front.

 

>>NEITHER "A" (local custom) NOR "B" (examples set by Srila Prabhupada)

obligates >>(morally or legally bind) ISKCON managers.

 

>>This means that both "A" and "B" are authorities that DO NOT (NEITHER and

NOR) >>obligate (morally or legally bind) ISKCON managers to act in a

certain way! >>Therefore they can do whatever they want irrespective of

local customs and >>Prabhupada's examples.

 

>>If you say that this is not the meaning she was trying to convey, then

fine, I >>accept that. Nevertheless, that is how I read it and it turns out

to be a very >>badly written sentence.

 

 

Perhaps Mother Pranada will tell us exactly what she meant; for in an

earlier part of her article, she had written: "As part of a tradition Srila

Prabhupada started, sannyasis and others pay obeisances at the front of each

altar when the doors open." So her point seems to be that the tradition was

for sannyasis to be allowed space to offer obeisances BUT we need no longer

"enforce a rule that women cannot take darsana in the front."

 

--gkd

 

P.S. It is not from malice but rather from dull-wittedness that I inquire

from the authoress as to the exact meaning of her words.

[Guest guest]

At 7:16 -0800 11/17/99, Akruranath das wrote:

 

>It is also true that Jivan Mukta seems to be reading Pranada dasi's statement

>completely backwards.

 

True. He tends to do a lot of that, as well as quoting out of context.

 

>

>I have to admit that some of Mother Dhyanakunda's statements quoted by Jivan

>Mukta are troubling to me.

 

Knowing how Jivan Mukta frequently manages to twist and turn statements

made by people who don't share his anti-woman views, I strongly encourage

you (and others who feel the same way) to check with Dhyanakunda directly

re. that text as well as her follow up one in which she clarified some

concerns expressed by other devotees. Her e-mail address is

<Dhyanakunda.kkd (AT) bbt (DOT) se> Until then, I'd give her the benefit of the

doubt, if I were you, especially knowing who posted those partial quotes.

 

Ys,

Madhusudani dasi