Guest guest Posted December 30, 2001 Report Share Posted December 30, 2001 >It seems that although Srila Prabhupada surely wanted devotees to >distribute prasada widely, he also did not want the "Help the starving" -- >"Every minute x children die of hunger" approach, which is not conspicuous >by its absence in ISKCON today. How about quoting Mahatma Gandhi as an authority to convince a mundane person to take part in devotional service? In my opinion this is using one's intelligence, and Prabhupada seemed to have thought so too: "Besides that, our men should go from village to village with Sankirtana party, hold festival, namely distribution of Bhagavat prasadam and induce them chant and join with us in vibrating the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. In India, they are not less than 95% villagers and Mahatma Gandhi wanted this village organization. I think this is a solid program." - Srila Prabhupada If there is a materialistic person who couldn't care less about giving Krishna to people, why not somehow get him to contribute to devotional service, even if we have to tell him x number of people die of hunger every day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 30, 2001 Report Share Posted December 30, 2001 >The whole idea of distributing prasadam to the poor is not bad.But, the >point was if the labour is invested for the rich , the Poor is >automatically taken care of. But, with the poor, you cannot call the rich. >But, with the richest you can call the poor. > >..The devotees don't waste valuable time at less productive output... >...We must therefore focus on college preaching, universities and Harinam. "This prasadam distribution item is very, very important, and it is so much pleasing to me that in the beginning so many children are coming for taking prasadam, and that supply of rice has come automatically. Please continue this program rigidly. By prasadam distribution you will do service to the Lord, and the public will be pleased upon you as well." - Srila Prabhupada Pleasing the spiritual master is all that really matters, so your formula about getting rich people and whatever is not very relevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 30, 2001 Report Share Posted December 30, 2001 At 10:59 AM 12/30/01 +0400, you wrote: >The whole idea of distributing prasadam to the poor is not bad.But, the >point was if the labour is invested for the rich , the Poor is automatically >taken care of. Sounds like an ISKCON version of Reagan's "trickle-down" economoc theory. Unfortunately, it didn't work because the rich were too greedy to trickle and just considered everything they received to be their good fortune, without feeling obliged to help (or even to pay decent wages to) the poor. >The devotees don't waste valuable time at less productive output. "Less productive"? I hope you're not saying that it's less "productive" to turn a poor person into a bhakta than it is a rich one. Ys, Madhusudani dasi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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