Thread #8 - Proposal by Bhaktarupa Das

[Guest guest]

Dear Krishna Dharma Prabhu, PAMHO. AGTSP!

 

Thank you very much for your further reply, thoughtful as ever. You have

stated that you did not feel I understood you correctly. I also am not yet

sure whether you have understood me correctly. Thus I hesitate to heighten

the confusion by a further point-by-point reply. What I perceive, and please

anyone may correct me if I am wrong, is that we are externally discussing

GBC Reorganization in this conference, whereas we are not all in agreement

as to what ISKCON is and should be. Obviously if two of us have different

ideas about what ISKCON is and should be then we will have different visions

about how to structure the management. Discussing only management will then

be fruitless, as management is merely a means to the end of achieving our

society's purposes. However, I am reluctant to plunge this conference into

the possibly distracting debate over what ISKCON is and should be,

especially since I am almost sure that our fearless moderator will quickly

tell us to go elsewhere.

 

I am also suspecting that you and I, and perhaps others as well, have widely

differing understandings of guru tattva. This is another avenue where our

discussions could lead and could quickly change Sri Ram Prabhu's charming

smile into a frown.

 

I have to state quite frankly that my proposal is very much based upon my

particular view of what ISKCON is and should be, whereas others may have

other visions. Should some other vision win the day then my proposal will

look like a bunch of hot air. It certainly seems like you have such a

different vision.

 

And of course, ultimately it is the GBC Body's responsibility to state

clearly what ISKCON is and what it should be. If they were to give some

clear direction in this area, with some real determination to follow through

with their words, then I probably would have a very specific opinion as to

which of the many possible restructuring proposals would be the best at

achieving steady progress in the stated direction. But they seem as confused

as everyone else in this area, if not more so. Thus our scope for making a

difference here is limited, as most are probably already keenly aware.

 

My proposal's major premise is that the current discussion group wanted to

develop a system of top management in ISKCON based firmly on varnasrama

principles, then insist that the GBC reorganize itself in that way. It's

minor premise is that some of the other proposals put forward here were not

actually based on varnasrama principles except superficially. I've learned

alot about varnasrama in the course of making the proposal and hearing

others' realizations, due to having the benefit of the association of so

many sincere devotees. Now you have said that varnasrama is something to

worry about later. Accountability should be our first priority. This has

caused an existential crisis and it's difficult for me to shift gears so

much at this point. Not knowing what to say, it is best to listen. I'm all

ears.

 

Your servant, Bhaktarupa Das