Can a Child Abuser Live in ISKCON?

[BDASA]

 

 

Can a Child Abuser Live in ISKCON?

BY: BHAGAVAT DAS (ACBSP)

 

 

Aug 3, USA (SUN) —

My name is Bhagavat Das. I am twice initiated by Srila Prabhupada and I have been around since 1970. My wife Radha and I were licensed foster parents for 9 years. We took care of close to 70 children in our home during that time, many of them physically and sexually abused. My experience with these children as protector, counselor, and guide has put me in a position of understanding to some extent the plight of the Gurukulis. I deeply sympathize with their dissatisfaction with the way ISKCON has handled their situation. If the leaders of ISKCON would follow the first example Srila Prabhupada set for them in dealing with child molesters they would, at the very least, make an important statement to the children that they did not tolerate child abuse.

 

I was in Allahabad in January 1977 when Srila Prabhupada was at the Kumbha Mela. During that time one of the first known child molesters was caught in Vrndavana and brought to Allahabad to be judged by Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada curled his lips in disgust and shook his head in great disbelief as he was told how this disciple of his sexually molested practically every child in the Gurukula. Srila Prabhupada was so disgusted that he told the GBC and others who were in the room that this boy, on his order should never for any reason be allowed in any of our temples ever again. When questioned about the severity of the sentence Srila Prabhupada said on occasion the boy could come to a temple for the Sunday feast and eat prasadam. Unfortunately, after Srila Prabhupada left this child molester found his way back into ISKCON’S temples. I would always complain whenever I saw him somewhere but usually to no avail. "He is doing service prabhu" is what I was told as the authorities disregarded the words of Srila Prabhupada. I finally told some grown up Gurukulis the story in Alachua and the next time he came around he was warned to leave ISKCON and never return or else. I heard recently he is in ISKCON temples in India, some things never change.

 

You will notice that Srila Prabhupada acting as head of the institution of ISKCON gave an order to protect the members of the institution. Acting in his capacity as the guru for the disciple in question he made a slight revision in order to demonstrate the principle of Lord Nityananda’s mercy that no one is beyond redemption, even this child molester. However that mercy is between the guru and the disciple and is in one sense separate from the relationship that Srila Prabhupada has with ISKCON as the head of the institution where he must enforce restrictions for the benefit and protection of the members of the institution.

 

Based on Srila Prabhupada's personal handling of the situation I feel that if the leaders of ISKCON are serious about protecting its members in the same manner that Srila Prabhupada did, than the leaders of ISKCON have no other recourse than to institute the following policy: If a person is caught as a child molester in or out of an ISKCON temple; 1) that person should be reported to the proper authorities; 2) that person should never for any reason be allowed in any ISKCON temple ever again except on occasion for a Sunday feast. At that time he may take darshan and prasadam only, no lecture no kirtan or any leadership activity whatsoever. That was Srila Prabhupada's instruction and it should be followed without change or hesitation. If the person happens to be a pot washer or an ex-guru the punishment should be the same. Since the child who has been molested will feel the same scars no matter what the position of the perpetrator is or was.

 

Now if the perpetrator in question wants to be a sannyasi or guru independent of ISKCON he can certainly do so and pursue following the instructions of his guru and try to obtain his guru’s mercy by opening his own temples or preaching centers and writing and distributing books. The guru disciple relationship is not terminated by the faults of the disciple. The guru is always ready to give his mercy to someone who is trying to rectify his behavior because no one is beyond redemption. However, he cannot do so within ISKCON the institution because Srila Prabhupada forbade it in order to protect ISKCON’S members.

 

I hope this teaching of Srila Prabhupada has shed some light on the proper way to handle some of the apparent controversial situations that have arisen lately.

 

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

They shouldn't even be let in the door - the moment it is known they are such freaks - that's it - "get out" - if they cannot be held in prison then that is unfortunate - but - they cannot be let in the door of the temples.

 

The sad thing is that somewhere there's places where such demons can go and people are unaware of what they are and they end up doing these things again - the fact is adults [over 21] who have sex with people under AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD are demons - these demons are undermining society by such connections with youth - those who prey on young people for sex are losers and our world could do more to clean up this mess.

 

In ISKCON there are these abusers trying to pass off as ordinary devotees - once in 1994 i saw a lecture- i didn't like his vibes and he was too much trying to imitate Prabhupada with every gesture and cough - it made me sick in a way - so after his so-called class i asked a question [cannnot recall what the class or the question was] and he wouldn't answer me!

 

So later i was told by another Prabhupada disciple about him and i sort of knew it already! So I guess this guy might still be around and doing who knows what.

 

Myself - [before finding Krishna] i'm a victim of sexual abuse [at the hands of a 37 year old and they turned out to be an authority figure too] when I was 14 years old [i went through a great deal with all of it - including the circus court case etc.,] and I know i would NOT want to see my abuser EVER again. In fact - the questionable justice department charged this pervert - a manipulative "authority figure" with:

 

"[name removed] did wilfully engage in sexual activities with [me the victim] which acts promoted or contributed to [me the victim], a child, being or becoming a juvenile delinquent or likely to make him a juvenile delinquent, contrary to section 33(1)(b) of the Juvenile Delinquents Act."

 

That is so very sad that that was what my victimizer was charged with - it says that - i - a child - the victim broke the law and 'the charged' contributed to it!

 

Imagine how much of a betrayal of me and my rights that was - after all of what i went through and that was all the victimizer was charged with!

 

Of course the court experience was another process of victimization - especially considering the lack of intelligence in the prosectors and the justice department they worked for.

 

Yes I still have the subpoena [with that charge noted] to the trial - after 23 years!

 

So I can certainly relate to this subject matter and I pray for these victims.

 

I too would be sick to have to think that if i were them and i went to the temples my abusers might be there and may even be 'somebody' - but alas - this is kali yuga and as a collective - the world is having to grapple with so much and - the time is to come that these kind of people shall be dealt with - with proper laws and enforcement.

 

Here in canada at least - the laws are to at last again change - the age of consent had been lowered to 14 years [in the 1990's] now it'll be 16 years - i feel that's still too young as noted.

 

The idea that adults cannot refrain from sex is one thing but - those that cannot refrain from such connections with youth is a fact of kali yuga that MUST be dealt with - no matter if it's here or - anywhere.

 

People who abuse and prey upon children and people who bring children into the world and neglect to train them properly [that they end up demonic] must be dealt with in a proper way - respectively.

 

We need to see a mandatory 'parenting 101' for everyone who has children - since all children must go to schools there is thus places to do this - the state can become more involved in the direction that society is going - how often do people get into neglected child rearing habits - because there is no one watching them rear their kids!?

[Guest guest]

if ISKCON allows such child molestors and abusers within the temples but the rank and file devotees do not practice some civil disobediance to force the administration to ban such molestors, then the rank and file devotees are thereby guilty by association.

 

If all the devotees protested and abandoned ISKCON till the GBC cleans house and gets rids of these molestors, then there would be nobody left in ISKCON except the managers and the molestors.

 

Then the combined efforts of managers and molestors could carry on the movement by themselves.

 

Many devotees feel spiritually molested by the GBC anyway, so I guess that would not be such a bad team?

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

It is odd that ISKCON severely and strictly bans you if you are a follower of Narayana Maharaja or a Rtivik, but if you are a child molester you somehow are allowed to stay.

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

It is odd that ISKCON severely and strictly bans you if you are a follower of Narayana Maharaja or a Rtivik, but if you are a child molester you somehow are allowed to stay.

 

- isn't it...broad public pressure like this may lead to change.

[tackleberry]

On the cross, Jesus Christ said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

 

And look at you guys, claiming to be spiritual and you can't even forgive people for their errors of judgment. It's a shame to see such intolerance perpetrated in the name of religion.

[Guest guest]

 

On the cross, Jesus Christ said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

 

And look at you guys, claiming to be spiritual and you can't even forgive people for their errors of judgment. It's a shame to see such intolerance perpetrated in the name of religion.

 

Error? Errors of judgement? Let's say a man comes right into your shop and you notice him stealing. Do you behave like, oh, dont let me commit an error of judgment and call this man a thief? Similiarly, if the supervisory board of a monastary invites ex-child molesters to live with the monks and even are awarded with high positions this cant be called error, that is deliberate.

And: child molester is worse than any other crime.

Child molesters who are imprisoned have to get a single prison cell because in the past other prisoners often killed such child molester when locked up together.

[Guest guest]

 

On the cross, Jesus Christ said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

 

And look at you guys, claiming to be spiritual and you can't even forgive people for their errors of judgment. It's a shame to see such intolerance perpetrated in the name of religion.

 

Actually, that is a bit of a stretch.

I don't think that any devotee would say that a child molestor or abuser cannot practice Krishna consciousness in his life and attain foregiveness of the Lord and attain salvation in devotion.

What we are saying is that they should practice Krishna consciousness outside of life in an ISKCON temple and that they cannot be managers or gurus in ISKCON.

 

Many devotees have been living outside of ISKCON for MANY years.

There is no reason that child abusers and molestors cannot practice Krishna consciousness outside of ISKCON.

 

For the sake of ISKCON, for the sake of public image and perception these persons with despicable backgrounds of abuse of children should all be asked to practice spiritual life outside of the ISKCON.

 

We forgive them. We encourage them to practice Krishna consciousness.

We just request them to do it outside the framework of ISKCON for the sake of the greater cause.

 

Maybe all the abusers, molestors, criminals and gays can start their own society of devotees together if they feel a need for an institutional structure in their lives?

[suchandra]

 

Maybe all the abusers, molestors, criminals and gays can start their own society of devotees together if they feel a need for an institutional structure in their lives?

 

Europe's and NA's temples are anyway empty, why care about people who are according normal law worst rascal criminals?

 

 

 

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/hansArt.nsf/V3Key/LC20000620011

 

It is also relevant to note the high rates of recidivism among child sex offenders. A range of international studies has put re-offending rates for sexual offenders at between 15 and 45 per cent. One Canadian study that was conducted in 1988 found that the re-offending rates over a 10-year period for untreated offenders who had molested non-familial children was 42.9 per cent. For offenders who had received treatment, the rate dropped considerably, but it was still 17.9 per cent for those who had molested girls and 13.3 per cent for those who had molested boys. It is not surprising then that many people in the community feel that they should have a right to know if a convicted child molester comes to live amongst them.

 

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

Maybe all the abusers, molestors, criminals and gays can start their own society of devotees together if they feel a need for an institutional structure in their lives?

You place gays with - abusers molestors and criminals - you're so very enlightened -

 

Only a 'distracted' person would do that - one may not agree with homosexuality - but to place it with 'abusers molestors and criminals' - is unwarranted and - you know it too.

 

[BDASA]

Here is an e-mail I received from someone who read the article in this thread when it was posted on Sampradaya Sun. I thought I would share her comments with you all without giving her name since she sent ti to me personally. The e-mai from her is as follows:

 

"I very much appreciate your most recent article on hare krsna sun. Yes, that's right, that was EXACTLY how Prabhupada dealt with these things: to ban someone from the temple except for the Sunday feast and taking prasadam. No lectures, no position, no service inside Iskcon. It was very simple. Yet such devotees were still encouraged to go outside Iskcon and preach, following Prabhupada's instructions. They weren't told to stay in Iskcon and be humiliated day-after-day. They could always preach outside. Why not?

Thanks for reminding us. When we finally hear the real "Prabhupada uvaca", we are reminded of how straight forward and simple his decisions were."

end of e-mail

 

I posted this because I feel she got the essence of what I was trying to say.

Your servant

Bhagavat Das