Western Disciples

[leyh]

Would it be accurate to say that the initiated disciples of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada are mainly westerners?

 

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by leyh (edited 08-31-2001).]

[Guest guest]

Originally posted by leyh:

Would it be accurate to say that the initiated disciples of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada are mainly westerners?

 

That depends on the definition of westerner.

[leyh]

Originally posted by rand0M aXiS:

That depends on the definition of westerner.

Let me rephrase...Would it be accurate to say that most of Srila Prabhupada's initiated disciples are caucasian?

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by leyh (edited 08-31-2001).]

[Guest guest]

Originally posted by leyh:

Let me rephrase...Would it be accurate to say that most of Srila Prabhupada's initiated disciples are caucasian?

 

It depends on your definition of caucasian. Are the African-American disciples of Srila Prabhupada caucasian. How about Hispanic disciples. What about the oriential-americans?

 

Are you a racist?

[livingentity]

He is asking "Are most of Srila Prabhupada disciples non-indian?" Not a racist question I am sure!

 

Originally posted by rand0M aXiS:

It depends on your definition of caucasian. Are the African-American disciples of Srila Prabhupada caucasian. How about Hispanic disciples. What about the oriential-americans?

 

Are you a racist?

 

[Guest guest]

By using a term like "western" explains nothing. In the west are races of every color. Please be more specific in your request.

 

Otherwise not.

[Janus]

The majority of Srila Prabhupadas disciples were conditioned by the teachings of Bacon, Descartes, Newton, were Neo-Platonic and Aristotelian in their thought, were heir to Paulianity, etc., and thus were Westerners, i.e. Romans, the cogs in the wheels of a machine universe, strangers and afraid in a world they never made.

[Guest guest]

Originally posted by Janus:

The majority of Srila Prabhupadas disciples were conditioned by the teachings of Bacon, Descartes, Newton, were Neo-Platonic and Aristotelian in their thought, were heir to Paulianity, etc., and thus were Westerners, i.e. Romans, the cogs in the wheels of a machine universe, strangers and afraid in a world they never made.

LOL!

 

Speak for youself, twoface.

[livingentity]

Off the topic for one quick second - question to Janus - Did you live in Milwaukee? I knew a Janus there and have been very curious and wanting to ask you. Sorry to stray off the topic there but had to ask.

Originally posted by Janus:

The majority of Srila Prabhupadas disciples were conditioned by the teachings of Bacon, Descartes, Newton, were Neo-Platonic and Aristotelian in their thought, were heir to Paulianity, etc., and thus were Westerners, i.e. Romans, the cogs in the wheels of a machine universe, strangers and afraid in a world they never made.

 

[leyh]

Originally posted by rand0M aXiS:

It depends on your definition of caucasian. Are the African-American disciples of Srila Prabhupada caucasian. How about Hispanic disciples. What about the oriential-americans?

 

Are you a racist?

Dear random axis:

No,I wasn't trying to be racist when I asked about the ethnic make-up of Srila Prabhupada's disciples.I was just being curious.Let me be even more specific now: Are most of Srila Prabhupada's disciples "white-skinned" Caucasians?

 

Yesterday,I was telling one of my friends about Srila Prabhupada and I unthinkingly mentioned that most of Srila Prabhupada's disciples were Caucasians.In Singapore, when the word "Caucasian" is used, it is generally understood that it refers to a white man/woman.I just wanted to check whether what I told my friend was accurate.From my impression of the Krsna Consciousness Movement, it seems to me that most of Srila Prabhupada's disciples were "white Caucasians".

 

In a video clip of a 1975 Interview with a San Franciso Television Station, the Interviewer asked Srila Prabhupada:" How amny people are now disciples of the Krsna Consciousness Movement.? And Srila Prabhupada replied:"Dedicated life,about ten thousand in western world."

 

I apologize if you or anyone else is offended by my enquiry.By the way,I'm Chinese.Or rather,I am currently inhabitating a Chinese material body

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by leyh (edited 09-01-2001).]

[Maitreya]

One thing that I want to mention for the benefit of any who are less familiar that may be reading, is that Srila Prabhupada only accepted spiritsouls as disciples.

 

The various bodily designations are superfical at best.I can understand the curiousity, but thinking he may have had a preference is like thinking he only appreciated the sincerity of those in white coats.

 

Haribol souls.

[leyh]

Originally posted by Maitreya:

One thing that I want to mention for the benefit of any who are less familiar that may be reading, is that Srila Prabhupada only accepted spiritsouls as disciples.

 

The various bodily designations are superfical at best.I can understand the curiousity, but thinking he may have had a preference is like thinking he only appreciated the sincerity of those in white coats.

 

Haribol souls.

Dear Maitreya:

I don't mean to imply that Srila Prabhupada may have had a racial preference when it came to initiating disciples.That would have been a clear contradiction of his teaching that we are spirit souls and not our bodies.

 

[talasiga]

Originally posted by leyh:

we are spirit souls and not our bodies.

Yes

and some spirit souls

are treated like female bodies

were treated in the middle ages !

 

Aham Brahmasmi

but in a female body

you need not even ask me !

 

 

[Gauracandra]

Srila Prabhupada had preaching going on throughout the world. Since it was largest in the U.S., Canada and Europe, and since these areas have a greater proportion of white people, I think it is natural that he likely did have more white disciples. He also had extensive preaching in South America, Africa, Japan and such. So he had a very diverse ethnic makeup of his disciples.

 

Gauracandra

[Janus]

I don't know what your problem is Random Axis, other than you've chosen to be a butt hole with a bad attitude. I am sure that you must have personal reasons for this, but I doubt that you will do anything other than add additional causes for your unhappiness by such offences as you permit yourself.

Instead of just turning green with envy as you habitually do when anyone upstages you with a more intelligent remark, why don't you attempt an intelligent comment or question? Your bluffs might win the admiration of the people that you are trying to fool, but that is hardly likely to serve any higher purpose.

Take it for what it cost you Moron.

[Guest guest]

Come now Janus, tell us how you really feel!

[Jagat]

When Prabhupada came to America, he was making a conscious choice because he recognized that white Westerners held the strings of world power. He recognized that non-Caucasian races everywhere were in the thrall of white cultural and economic dominance. So he very wisely decided to pierce the stronghold, knowing that if Americans and to a lesser extent Europeans took to Krishna consciousness that it would spread throughout the world.

 

This first became true in India, where he returned in 1968 with his first American disciples. But the movement has since then been primarily dominated by Americans. All the eleven acharyas appointed by Prabhupada were Americans, which had Indians like Gopal Krishna and Svarupa Damodar upset in the beginning. They figured Indians would never accept Americans as spiritual gurus.

 

But everywhere else? Look at Eastern Europe. Do you think the cult of Americanism had nothing to do with the spreading of Krishna consciousness in Russia or Hungary?

 

The irony is, of course, that Western standards are high, even for a spiritual movement. People are educated and ask lots of questions. Western societies live by the rule of law and we expect our leaders to be what they claim to be. There are probably fewer practitioners of Krishna conscious in the U.S. and western Europe right now than there are in other parts of the world -- like South America or the old USSR, or even some Southeast Asian countries. But for he most part, they are still the leaders.

 

One may wonder if racism has ever been a factor in all this. I would tend to say that devotees are human beings like everyone else and therefore have racist tendencies. Prabhupada thought highly of his American disciples and they also thought highly of themselves

 

 

[talasiga]

Originally posted by Jagat:

Prabhupada thought highly of his American disciples and they also thought highly of themselves

 

 

*"fly like an eagle

into the wind"

 

The HIGH THINKING was probably already there

before Prabhupada arrived in America.....

Don't you think ?

 

 

* America

 

[Maitreya]

Originally posted by leyh:

Dear Maitreya:

I don't mean to imply that Srila Prabhupada may have had a racial preference when it came to initiating disciples.That would have been a clear contradiction of his teaching that we are spirit souls and not our bodies.

leyh,

 

No, I understood your post and didn't take it that way at all.

 

I was just making a point for anyone who might be reading that may think some were excluded or prefered because of racial distinctions.Because of the wide range of the internet I thought to add that point.

 

I have read so many of your previous posts that I knew you had something different in mind.

 

Hare Krishna

 

 

[leyh]

Originally posted by Jagat:

When Prabhupada came to America, he was making a conscious choice because he recognized that white Westerners held the strings of world power. He recognized that non-Caucasian races everywhere were in the thrall of white cultural and economic dominance. So he very wisely decided to pierce the stronghold, knowing that if Americans and to a lesser extent Europeans took to Krishna consciousness that it would spread throughout the world.

 

This first became true in India, where he returned in 1968 with his first American disciples. But the movement has since then been primarily dominated by Americans. All the eleven acharyas appointed by Prabhupada were Americans, which had Indians like Gopal Krishna and Svarupa Damodar upset in the beginning. They figured Indians would never accept Americans as spiritual gurus.

 

But everywhere else? Look at Eastern Europe. Do you think the cult of Americanism had nothing to do with the spreading of Krishna consciousness in Russia or Hungary?

 

The irony is, of course, that Western standards are high, even for a spiritual movement. People are educated and ask lots of questions. Western societies live by the rule of law and we expect our leaders to be what they claim to be. There are probably fewer practitioners of Krishna conscious in the U.S. and western Europe right now than there are in other parts of the world -- like South America or the old USSR, or even some Southeast Asian countries. But for he most part, they are still the leaders.

 

One may wonder if racism has ever been a factor in all this. I would tend to say that devotees are human beings like everyone else and therefore have racist tendencies. Prabhupada thought highly of his American disciples and they also thought highly of themselves

 

 

Dear Jagat:

What an insightful analysis!

 

[leyh]

Dear Maitreya:

Thank you for understanding

 

 

[This message has been edited by leyh (edited 09-01-2001).]