The intoxication of power and followers often leads to exploitation and abuse

[Sarva gattah]

 

 

Ravindra-svarupa Dasa Warns Against Abuse of Power - By ISKCON News Staff on 28 Jan 2008

 

 

<!--paging_filter-->Dallas, Texas – Ravindra-svarupa Dasa, a GBC, guru, and influential thinker within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), implored the Society’s North American leadership to vigilantly guard against abuse of power.

 

In his January 24 keynote address to the North American Temple Presidents and Governing Body Commissioners meeting, Ravindra-svarupa called abuse of power “the core problem” facing ISKCON leaders today, and opined that the solution lay in responsible use of power and strong spiritual practices.

 

“To exercise power over others is not itself bad, it is natural,” Ravindra-svarupa said, “the Srimad Bhagavatam tells us that those who are in positions of power are naturally representatives of Krishna. The problem comes when those who are supposed to represent Krishna, don’t.”

 

 

Ravindra-svarupa’s 30-minute speech, which kicked-off the 3-day gathering of North American ISKCON leaders, focused on the need for integrity, accountability, and checking the tendency to exploit others.

 

Employing a mix of historical analysis, scriptural insight, and humor, he emphasized the connection between a devotee’s ability to effectively lead and his or her “practice of cultivating the Holy Name.”

Rather than addressing specific instances of ISKCON devotees who abused their power, Ravindra-svarupa reminded his audience of the great responsibility shared by all followers of ISKCON Founder-Acarya Srila Prabhupada.

 

 

“Srila Prabhupada gave us the essence of ISKCON,” he told his fellow leaders, “in the statement: ‘Krishna consciousness means to become a Vaisnava and to have some feeling for suffering humanity.’ We must simply become Krishna conscious and give it to others.”

 

 

 

[Kulapavana]

Another "nice" Ravindra's article - still, it sounds very hollow to me. As a long time GBC and guru he had plenty of opportunities to curb the widespread abuse of power in Iskcon. Somehow I'm not impressed with his practical record. On paper and in words he often sounds good, but where is the application? That is Iskcon's biggest problem: too much high sounding talk, and very little practical effect. Just like the "simple living" idea.

 

Sometimes I think they (GBC) do it on purpose: to create an illusion of changes taking place within Iskcon's top management. That deflects some criticism and bewilders the loyal naive devotees on the ground who desperately want to believe that things are getting better. But in fact this is all "business as usual".

 

Communists used the same tactics after Stalin's demise. It was called "letting the masses vent their anger and frustration in a harmles way" - after the gripe session it is "back to work" time and nothing has changed at the top.

[Jugg]

What you eluded to is sometimes referred to as "fair and balanced reporting." Why don't we ever hear more reports of the "abuses?" Is everything really paradise, or is there really trouble in paradise? I was preached to by my GBC, that "do NOT shop for Utopia because WE have utopia -- right here."