Why are we attempting to restructure our leadership?

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In a message dated 10/26/2000 12:40:43 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

Krsna.Kirtana.ACBSP (AT) pamho (DOT) net writes:

 

>Bhaktarupa wrote previously:

 

>>We should see our reform efforts as simply

>> service to Srila Prabhupada and the vaisnavas, not as an opportunity for

>> us to develop some niche for ourselves which we don't have in the current

>> regime -- keeping in the back of our mind that if such a niche is not

>> forthcoming then we will strike out on our independent program in the not

> >too distant future. (Or even worse still, seeing reform as an opportunity

>> to settle a few scores with those leaders who have hurt us in the past.)

 

 

>Thank you, Prabhu, for sharing with us your realizations on issues.

>I am personally wondering who you have in mind when you are writing about

>reformers looking for a 'niche' for themselves?

>I have previously asked several devotees, in these conferences and

>privately, if they would agree to take up the service of GBC if needed, and

>have not received even one favorable answer, and you know that I am not in

>favor of women being GBC either. So, to whom are you alluding exactly?

>In my humble opinion, these are very unjust suspicions to the members of

>these conferences and I can't tolerate them.

 

>I do not think you are being fair in writing the two last sentences quoted

>.above. Moreover, as it is not the first time you are doing that, I must ask

>you to please stop making such allegations in these conferences. I find them

>personally too destructive to create a positive mood in our attempt to

>restructure ISKCON leadership. If you do not trust the devotees' motives in

>GBC restructure, it is certainly your right, but in such a case, do you have

>to take their association? Thank you in advance for your answer.

 

>However, if you kindly agree to give us your association, please at least,

>give the members of these conferences the benefit of the doubt and stop

>sending such allusions as the one mentioned in the sentences quoted above. I

>do not find these statements very constructive personally.

 

>If I am ready to resort to compulsion ultimately, it is simply to implement

>Srila Prabhupada's instructions, finally, and after 25 years of talks; and

>not to put a bomb under such and such GBC members' cars.

 

> I personally think you have completely mistaken the members' motives. I felt

> very disheartened when I read your sentences quoted above and would need

> some genuine clarification if I have misunderstood you.

 

 

It seems to me Bhaktarupa prabhu's statement was meant as a cautionary

statement and not an allusion to apparent vested interests in the

contributors of this conference. In fact we all should continue to be very

introspective during this process so that personal motivation does not seep

in and contaminate the endeavor. There is nothing offensive about a reminder

of that, take it in the mood it was offered and if you are confident about

your motives, let it go.

 

> > Taking up the banner of reform is a very heavy responsibility. It is a

> > struggle in itself, with so many setbacks to be encountered -- and then

if

> > it is successful it is even more of a struggle to actually implement the

> > promises of reform.

 

> We do agree with that, but it may also be that words are not sufficient to

> implement 'promises of reform' as you said above. Words, unfortunately, are

> not all powerful in setting a Varnasram project in every center. Srila

> Prabhupada have mentioned repeatedly in 74 and 77 these words, and we have

> heard them again in the Varnasram Development conference these last years.

> (Powerful words were certainly there, but due to one reason or another they

> have not yet been taken seriously).

>

> Thus, I am not ready anymore to rely on words only. These powerful

> vibrations have been good enough to kill king Venu in the past, right!, and

> to cause some leaders' fall down, certainly! (Brahmanas's words may be very

> powerful, indeed!), but that may not be sufficient to move the GBC body

> along the lines of a genuine Daivi Varnasram, as the past and present have

> unfortunately shown.

>

 

Who knows why some leaders have fallen, but at this point we should be wary

of excessively judgemental attitudes, it will not forward our progress in

reforming Iskcon leadership or our own spiritual progress.

 

 

> So, I will not reject anything favorable to implement our Founder-Acarya's

> instructions, including different strategies, if this humble attempt is not

> successful. For me, this is the true meaning of the word disciple.

>

> I accept that you may have a different understanding of the word

'disciple',

> but we have tried different senses of the word 'disciple' during the last

23

> years and as a result ISKCON is now in the most embarrassing situation it

> has ever been. So thanks! We don't wish to hear these other meanings

> anylonger.

>

> When Krsna saw Bhismadeva playing havoc on the battlefield, He sent Amba

> before Arjuna, in front of the great Mahajana and that was the end of his

> weak management.

>

> When Krsna saw that Bhima could never get rid of Duryodhana in the last

> fight, He asked him to hit Duryodhana under the belt.

>

> When Dronacarya was destroying the Pandavas'army, Krsna asked Yudhisthira

to

> announce loudly that Asvatthama was dead and now, He is kindly inspiring

> different devotees to act in different way. Do you really know His motives?

>

 

 

Do you?

 

 

> Krsna gives Himself to His devotees. So, on this month of Kartika, we are

> begging Srimati Radharani to teach us the secret of binding Krsna with our

> love, so that He can present during next Mayapura meeting and give a last

> warning to ISKCON's leadership:

>

 

> 1) To make peace with their godbrothers not only with letters but with

acts,

> 2) To implement daivi varnasram in ISKCON starting with the head now,

before

> the unavoidable court of inquiry denunces, all over the world through the

> mass media, all the horrible stories the leaders have tried desperately to

> hide from their disciples and from society at large for years.

>

 

 

Shouldn't we all continue to act as peacemakers?

 

 

> Please rest assured that we have no personal interest in our struggle

except

> the integrity of ISKCON leadership for the benefit of the society.

>

 

 

Then you should not be offended in anyway by Bhaktarupa's statement. Seeing

the wisdom in remaining introspective is a safer position spiritually than

challenging his implications or allusions.

 

 

> We are simply trying to avoid them the embarrassing situation of coming up

> again to Mayapura in 2001 with only bad news to discuss, and nothing

> constructive to improve the situation at ISKCON's head and in ISKCON

ranks....

>

>

> ... If we are so determined it is neither for our own benefits, nor to

strike

> back at any specific persons, as alleged above, but only for the sake of

> True Dharma. Even though Lord Krsna and Bhima supported the chastisement of

> Asvatthama by Arjuna, Draupadi was not in favor of it (SB 1.7.33 to 58 ).

> Please kindly remember also, that she was always under Krsna's personal

> protection, ultimately.

>

> May I also recall Bhima's killing of the chief of the army in Virata

> kingdom, in the night, against Yudhisthira's advice, and done only to

> protect Draupadi from a lusty leader. This is the Ksatriya Dharma.

>

> When will ISKCON have such devoted leaders ready to protect Srila

> Prabhupada's Movement and His followers including the cows, at the risk of

> their own life? This is my question and I will use everything in my power

to

> restore Srila Prabhupada's full programme of action, and not only his

> instruction: "chant Hare Krsna!".

>

> I have surrendered to Sri Rama, Ajamila and Vaiyasaki prabhus' arguments to

> be patient a little longer and sit still, but they have not yet asked me to

> be prepared to come back next life time, in case ISKCON leadership sit

tight

> until their death. So please, allow me to consider other options without

> judging us too quickly. Many thanks in advance for your understanding.

>

 

 

Whether or not you have to come back for another life prabhu is not really

dependent on whether or not Iskcon leadership is reformed, Requesting others

to withhold judgement is more powerful when it is not also accompanied by

righteous indignation. We have had an over load of righteous indignation in

Iskcon over the years, causing much pain to the Vaisnavas it was directed at.

To simply direct such negative vibrations at different individuals will not

ultimately reform anything.

 

 

>

> We do appreciate your participation in these conferences and hope you will

> not be turned off by our straight-forward comments.

>

> We are now looking for the full picture, Prabhu, and we do welcome any help

> in this attempt. We are not yet convinced that ISKCON devotees' karma is

> worst than the karma of the members of some other interesting society

> outside. So, it will be nice if the leaders would at least acknowledge

their

> 50% share of responsibility in our Society's failure and finally agree to

> follow Srila Prabhupada's full programme from now on. That is our main

> concern.

>

> Adopting a repentent behavior on the part of the leadership is always much

> more efficient, in our humble opinion, than being suspicious to those

> devotees who have genuinely tried to understand Srila Prabhupada's

> instructions over the years and following them in their life as much as

> possible, having or not any position inside or outside ISKCON temples, and

> for most of them, remaining dedicated to Srila Prabhupada in opposition to

> the leadership's poor example and immature instructions.

>

> These devotees should be respected and listened to even though their style

> may not be as refined as some famous ISKCON writers.

>

> Please kindly give us the benefit of the doubt even though you may not

> always agree with our comments.

>

 

> > But I am very encouraged by the mutual respect and cooperative mood, in

> > general, of the participants in these conferences. It has given some

hope.

> > Let's keep moving forward.

 

> Please, Bhaktarupa Prabhu, kindly keep in mind these last positive

sentences

> written by you, when you want to write such negative statements as the ones

> in the first paragraph at the top of this letter. If you mercifully agree

to

> do that, you will help us remain peaceful and confident, (even though you

> may be skeptical personally), and we'll always be grateful to have your

> valuable association.

 

This is a two way street prabhu, it isn't practical or effective to ask for

more than what you are willing to give yourself. Let's make a commitment to

give the benefit of the doubt to all who participate in this endeavor.

 

yhs Kanti dasi