Lakshmi Cow Sanctuary - Bangor PA

[Guest guest]

Hare Krsna Devi comments that "some ISKCON farms have

a general policy not to accept so-called charity cows

-- unless the donor is prepared to commit financially

for their life-time care. Otherwise -- you can become

very quickly overwhelmed with more cows than you can

properly care for. This may have the effect of

attracting the notice of PETA and the Humane Society

--who will rightfully publicize the project as a place

of cow abuse, rather than cow protection. So for the

sake of your own reputation and the reputation of

Srila Prabhupada and the Hare Krsna movement, be very

cautious about accepting more cows than you can

maintain."

 

Two points here, I have been in frequent contact with

PETA over the last year and they know everything about

ISKCON farms and their problems for I divulged the

information to them in March. They assured me that

there was little they would do with all the bad

details that they have in their hands. It is not that

they do not care or that it is not a good story, but

it is that they know the Hare Krsnas and respect them

for what they are doing, for they believe that what we

want to do is noble even if they disagree in

principle. The second point is that the reputation of

a falsehood is not worth anything and is better, in my

mind, to be exposed for all it is. That is why I

shared an email HKDD did on all the difficulties of

ISKCON farms. In all my contacts with PETA it was

clear that we were both concerned in striking a

balance between rewarding the effort of ISKCON and in

being prepared to expose it if it was deemed

necessary. Personally, it was and still is my opinion

that some negative publicity would only benefit ISKCON

in the long run. But for now it does not seem to be

forthcoming. So fear not for PETA, unless some deaper

man-made tradgedy happens on ISKCON farms. If one is

to fear, I would fear the need to hide a blemish and

excuse its weakness for fear of bad press. Rather

stand proud for the spirit in life that has blessed us

to desire such a noble cause as farm animal

protection, and to show the blemished past and say

these are the mistakes we made, and this is how we

hope to rectify them. I think that would demand

respect.

 

Also > "It's very difficult to turn away an animal who

is probably destined for the slaughterhouse. But if

you accept the animal when you cannot realistically

expect to care properly for her or him, then it's

becomes your karma. And if Srila Prabhupada and his

Krsna consciousness movement are as a result defamed,

even more damage is done -- because by carelessness,

one can thus turn people away from their only hope,

which is Krsna consciousness."

 

It is not that I enjoy disagreeing with you, and as I

am a hypocrit in so many ways my arguments should have

no effect, but I can just not see the logic of your

argument on both counts. 1) The first part of your

arguments virtually demands a vegan diet, for by

accepting milk products from the slaughter system I

would believe one accepts more karma than by making a

valiant effort to protect an animal even if in the end

one fails. And in the end who cares about accepting

karma? Surely the idea is to do ones duty without

fearing or desiring the fruits of one's actions

(karma). The point for me is that we can only

realistically expect to care for the animals if we

plan well and make the plunge to do it. And in the end

it is better to have tried and failed than not to have

tried at all. 2) Defamation can take many forms, if

one sincerely tries and is defamed for failure by the

common masses of what does it matter? In the eyes of

the Lord, He will see the sincerety and reward

accordingly. I would not base success on the whims of

the media. And as has been seen in the former

paragraph those who would most likely defame ISKCON,

such as PETA, actually respect it and wish it all the

best wishes for the future.

 

Again it comes down to sincerety, and someone who is

sincere about cow protection now then should be fed

the facts of how difficult it will all be, and how

failure is a possibility especially if one's planning

is based on sentiment and not on fact. Yet it is the

sentiment that drives the process, the sentiment to

please God and to try one's best. I do not think those

who want to try should be disencouraged, rather they

should be encouraged to protect farm animals. And all

the known information should be shared and help given

for them to make the most educated choice of how to

proceed in their endeavours.

 

It may be repeating old hat stuff, but I do not want

to see more attempts at cow protection snipped at the

bud and inactivity becoming the accepted modos

opperandi.

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Another source which may be able to help you is your local Agricultural

Extension agency. You are in Pennsylvania. Penn State University has a

big agricultural department -- and it was actually the Penn State

extension agency which first helped steer Gita-nagari towards a

rotational grazing program in 1989. So it is possible that you can find

some help there -- at least they may be able to direct you to

sympathetic farmers in your area and nearby.

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi

 

 

S S wrote:

 

> Thank you for your reply and I do have an old Amish

> Style barn (150 years old) where the animals are

> staying. The barn needs reinforcement and I am looking

> for some one to do that. Do you know any one. I am

> regularly visitng local farms to learn more . Sankar

> Sastri

> --- Mark Middle Mountain <gourdmad (AT) ovnet (DOT) com> wrote:

> > I need help to build a barn for winter and

> > > suggestions to keep water warm and techniques to

> > > remove cow dung and train the bulls. Can any one

> > help.

> > > You can come and visit and can give suggestions to

> > > make it more pleasant for the mother cows. Thank

> > you!

> > > Sankar Sastri 610 599 8824,.

> >

> > Better to visit someplace BEFORE you accept cows so

> > you know what you are

> > geting into. Little late to be thiking about barn

> > building in December.

> > Your option at this point is basically pole building

> > and bedded pack -

> > using straw for bedding on the earth and keep

> > building it up.

> >

>

>

>

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> your unique holiday gifts! Buy at

> or bid at http://auctions.

[Guest guest]

>So fear not for PETA, unless some deaper

> man-made tradgedy happens on ISKCON farms.

 

Which I think is HKdd's point is to to be careful not to create new

tradgedies.