news from Moscow

[Guest guest]

Ótimas notícias de Moscou.

 

Sempre ao serviço de Srila Prabhupada,

Param Gati Swami

 

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Text PAMHO:7998021 (69 lines)

Bhakti Vijnana Goswami (GBC) (Moscow - R)

27-Mar-04 13:45 (08:45 -0500)

GBC Discussions [14098]

The Moscow Temple Project [46]

Bhakti Charu Swami [43850] (received: 27-Mar-04 16:47)

Bhakti Visrambha Madhava Swami [31549]

Indradyumna Swami [72421] (received: 27-Mar-04 19:05)

Kalakantha (das) ACBSP (Alachua - USA) [44767]

JPSMD [124502] (received: 28-Mar-04 09:53)

Cc: Acintya (dd) BVPS (Warsaw - PL) [10742] (sender: Indradyumna

Swami)

Cc: Cintamani (dd) IDS (Warsaw - PL) [4539] (sender: Indradyumna

Swami)

Cc: Jayatam Jaya Sila (das) IDS (Warsaw - PL) [1372] (sender:

Indradyumna Swami)

Cc: Kasi Misra (das) (TP Warsaw - PL) [16932] (received: 28-Mar-04

10:44) (sender: Indradyumna Swami)

Cc: Nandini (dd) IDS (Zory - PL) [19421] (sender: Indradyumna Swami)

Cc: Sri Prahlada (das) HDG [18888] (sender: Indradyumna Swami)

Cc: Vara-nayaka (das) BVPS (PL) [13399] (received: 28-Mar-04 07:16)

(sender: Indradyumna Swami)

Comment: Text PAMHO:7998089 by Prahladananda Swami

Comment: Text PAMHO:7999393 by Hari Sauri (das) ACBSP

news from Moscow

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

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,

 

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

 

This is to inform you about the latest development in Moscow.

 

The work on the project is going on smoothly.

 

However, as you may know, the opposition from some people of the Russian

Orthodox Church has become very strong. The anti-cult people in the Church

started massive Public Relations campaign against the temple. The Orthodox

Radio in Moscow asks all the listeners to write letters of protest to the

Mayor of Moscow.

So far they collected around 40 thousand signatures and many hunderds of

letters.

 

The latest Public Relations action arranged by this group of people was a

massivedemonstration on one of the most central squares in Moscow. It took

place last Sunday. A few thougsand people came (some say 2 thousand, other

estimate as many as 5 thousand). The demonstration was very well organized.

There was a lot of slogans against Krsna, Srila Prabhupada and the new

temple. The good old slogans about brainwashing were used. The demonstartion

was openly fundamentalistic and even fashistic. One of the slogans, for

example read "Orthodoxy, or Death!" A few priest were there, but the fact

that they did not disclose their names shows that the official Church did

not want to have much to do with this action.

 

Most of the media, as well as the passerby's did not pay any attention to

the demonstration. Still there was one very bad news report on the TV about

it. All in all it looked quite threatening. Needless to say that we were

very alarmed and worried.

 

So we arranged the press-conference three days after the demonstration to

counteract its effects. To our surprise many reporters came. The coverage we

got was mostly very positive. Still we felt that it was not enough.

 

Somehow or other, these event attracted the attention of the biggest TV

channel. The host of one of the most popular shows invited us to take part

in the open duel with our opponents. Madana Mohan was representing us, and

the Chairman of the Union of the Orthodox Citizens was supposed to argue

with him. It was a very tough battle, the atmosphere was tense like

anything. But Madana Mohana was very cool and charming, smiling all the

time. He won over the hearts of everyone.

 

The contest lasted for three hours (only one hour was shown on the TV - it

was prerecorded). The show was watched by the millions all over Russia. Our

victory was so obvious and clear, that it left no doubts. Out of 4 judges

three definitely ruled in our favour. The forth one admited that our

opponent did not give and convincing arguments, but he voted for him only

because he himself thought that Krsna's temple should not be built in

Moscow. One of the judges said that the behaviour of Madan Mohan was the

ideal example of how religious people should behave themselves, whereas the

aggressive mood of his opponent discredited the religion he was

representing.

 

The audience also voted, and we got less votes from the TV viewers - 38,600

in favour, 52,000 opposed, but still the our victory was obvious.(This is

the results of the voting session in Moscow and Central region, in three

other regions - Far East and Siberia, Urals and Volga we won).

 

According to our sources in the Mayors office, this debate made it clear for

everyone one who is who, it cleared all the remaining doubts, all the

arguments of our oppnents were publicly destroied and we have the green

light now!

 

Again, for me this victory is a clear sign that Lord Caitanya and Srila

Prabhupada want this temple and in Moscow.

 

Your servant,

Bhakti Vijnana Goswami

(Text PAMHO:7998021) ------

 

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