Demonising the Devotees we Disagree with

[Guest guest]

Jivan Mukta das writes:

 

> [Visnu tattva Prabhu] said that if these women are seeking complete

> equality with men and, in particular, if the[y] want to impose these

> standards in Vrndavana, then they must be demons.

 

We should know that Sri Krsna is very good at recognizing and curbing

the activities of demons, but we may not always be correct when we label

a person as a demon. We may simply be utilising an imperfect dialectic

which only allows for two categories. Such a dialectic is an unsuitable,

scattergun approach to dealing with people, even those with whom one may

profoundly disagree. This is especially so when we see that what the

women were attempting to do is to have darsan of the Deities. That is

hardly a symptom of a demon; rather, it is a distinguishing mark of a

devotee that he or she wants to see the Deity. So just because Visnu

Tattva prabhu may have referred to women devotees seeking egalitarian

treatment in Vrndavan as "demons" en passant in a conversation with

Jivan Mukta prabhu, it does not make it so. Nor was it a remark which

ought to have been disseminated. That Jivan Mukta das chose to publish

such an offhand remark, and one which Visnu Tattva das no doubt

regrets having made, is very sad, because he does not have the

defence that it was only spoken in conversation between two people

privately. Instead, he voluntarily and, presumably after reflection,

repeated the remark in the course of a published essay on the Internet.

 

To help educate Jivan Mukta about those who are truly demons,

here in Canada we had a married couple in St. Catherines, not too

far from Jivan Mukta's hangout in Georgian Bay, named Karla Homolka

and Paul Bernardo, who kidnapped, imprisoned, assaulted, tortured

and murdered several young women in Ontario a few years back.

I would not quibble about hearing such persons described as "demons".

Indeed, there is grounds to suppose that such heinous brutality is

the ultimate expression of misogyny which finds its initial expression

in the telling of jokes at the expense of women, then proceeds to

stereotype, marginalise and persecute and enslave them.

 

Some in ISKCON who learn from day one that everyone is spirit soul

are now attempting, arbitrarily and without just cause, to turn

back the hands of time and insist on the supposed "rights" of men

to trample roughshod over women, simply because it used to be so, and

some backward societies in this world still are constituted that way.

What part of "equal before law and equal before God" do they fail to

understand? Since everyone is spirit soul, and our society is a

spiritual organisation, what possible justification can we have for

establishing categories and gradations within that society, whether

based on age, race, language, ethnic origin, or gender? It is utter

nonsense. And what hypocrisy to cloak it in high-sounding terms

as if their hatred of women amounted to some high moral principle!

Fie, fie, fie! I am ashamed of ISKCON that we have not thoroughly

stamped out this heinous practice of men maltreating and misusing women.

 

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Jivan Mukta prabhu continues:

> He told us that women were always in the back and always gave

> preference to men, and in particular sannyasis. He said that the

> women used to cross the street and take a different path when a

> sannyasi would approa[c]h. The women never dared stand before a

> sannyasi what to speak of dallying with him.

 

Such loaded language, and so unjustified! To "dally" means to linger,

loiter, toy with, even fondle or caress! So far as I have read from

Vrndavan, not even the most antedeluvian woman-hater has previously

suggested that any of the women attempting to have darsan of the Lord

were being sexually aggressive to any man present. Rather, it seems

a band of misled and foolish men linked arms to form an unnecessary

obstacle to devotion. The men could have been better occupied offering

their own respects rather than preventing other devotees from offering

theirs. What has happened to the broadmindedness Srila Prabhupad

showed to his disciples? Where is the tolerance amd forbearance of the

Vaisnava? Why do we mistreat women just so that a sannyasi need not

accidentally see one? It is a wretched sannyasi indeed who cannot

maintain his vows just because there is a woman within two metres of

him offering her respects to the Deity. Such a little manling should

never have been granted sannyas in the first place; he is simply not

ready for it. Women make up about half of the people in this world;

unless he be a hermit, even a sannyasi has to get used to them!

 

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Jivan Mukta prabhu concludes:

> The women would offer obeisances from behind the sannyasi and from

> a distance. Sometimes women would be pushed out of the temple

> completely if the temple room filled up with male devotees during

> mangala arotik.

 

> He clearly remembers (sic) Prabhupada prohibiting all women from

> serving the Deities on the altar as pujaris in any temple in India.

> Regardless of this stricture, women were always respected by all

> the men especially because they demonst[ra]ted their shyness to

> such an ideal degree.

 

What a bizarre confection of claptrap this is! Women being pushed

out of the temple by lordly arrogant males is supposed to be some

sort of demonstration of their shyness? If the women are too shy

to enter the temple room during aratik I have never seen this.

Prabhupada himself said that women usually attend the temple in

greater numbers than do men, and with more sincere devotion.

 

How anyone can "clearly remember" Prabhupada "prohibiting" women from

pujari service is unknown. Prabhupada, in fact, urged everyone to

serve the Lord to his or her fullest capacity in whatsoever way he

or she had a natural inclination, and many, many of his women

disciples became excellent pujaris. So this statement that they are

somehow "prohibited" is complete hogwash.

 

Nonsense is still nonsense, even when it uttered by a devotee who

should know better. Let's get ISKCON back on track. I would like

the GBC to issue an utterly unequivocal statement of full and

complete equality pertaining henceforward among men and women. The

declaration should be posted in all temples and made known to all

devotees. We must learn to cooperate together instead of always

settling on stupid, peripheral hobbyhorse causes that do our movement

no end of harm.

 

WIth best regards,

Ananda das