Vaishnava anti-semitism

[Guest guest]

Dear Maharaj,

 

Two articles written by one Srivatsa Das on VNN have recently come to my attention. These articles are of a crudely anti-Semitic nature, repeating the same old myths about Jewish bankers conspiring to take over the world.

 

http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET0308/ET01-8257.html

 

http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET0309/ET10-8338.html

 

I find this extremely disconcerting. I would appreciate it if you would take the trouble to write a short note to the owners of this website (news03@vnn.org) allowing them to know of your disapproval. Since they are regular publishers of your Sanga newsletters, I trust that they will take heed of your opinion.

VNN must know that a wider spectrum of people do take notice of what is being said on their site and that it is extremely counter-productive for them to publish material of this sort. It reflects badly on Vaishnavism if we give credibility to the lunatic fringe. Let us protest vociferously.

 

Thanking you for your concern,

Your servant,

 

Jagadananda Das.

 

[Guest guest]

VNN publishes anti-Semitic editorials

 

I was recently directed to the VNN website by the following post on a public forum:

When VNN had a forum, they would allow anti Semitic topics and posts. They had a pretty much hands-off moderation policy, so I never believed that VNN was actually racist. But now they have published an openly anti-Semitic editorial: Repetition of History. (Darwin)

I took a look at this editorial by Srivatsa Das of Vienna and was dishearted to find it to be a rehashing of time-honored anti-Semitic drivel collected from various sources, but primarily Biblical prophecy and the Christian collective condemnation of Jews for all eternity for their part in the crucifixion of Jesus. Jews are further accused of being "cursed to strive for control over material wealth" and the article concludes with stupid assertions like "almost 98% of the currencies, media and energy companies are controlled and owned presently by the Jews."

 

After a little research, I discovered that the same Srivatsa Das had been published before on VNN, on August 3, 2003: Talmud And Shulchan Aruch. Here again we find more of the same: "It seems to be obvious that a world government is the ultimate goal." Again, "The final goal of the Zionists is a world government under control of the Zionists and the Zionistic-aligned Jewish international bankers." Along with that, we find the Jews blamed for the Bolshevik revolution. Rockefeller and Castro, Jews marching in step! He quotes American president (Sic) Benjamin Franklin’s warning against the "insidious influence" of the Jews. It all comes to a very Krishna-conscious conclusion--Jews also like to eat cows.

 

Most of these ideas will be familiar to anyone who has even the most superficial knowledge of anti-Semitism. On reading Srivatsa's articles, it is clear that his source is one Des Griffin, whom he has probably read in German translation. Indeed, I suspect him of having used a computer-generated translation, not only for his terrible syntax, but for the fact that "Des" Griffin has become "The" Griffin, a mistake for which only a computer could be forgiven.

 

I have often complained to the editors of VNN for not correcting the texts they publish, which I feel is a terrible dereliction of duty. If the object of their site is to make Krishna consciousness widely known and respected, they shoot themselves in the foot by their constantly neglect of the rules of English grammar, syntax and orthography. They have taken a great amount of trouble to create a website, why then cannot they take a few more minutes to look the articles they publish over, instead of posting them "as is"?

 

But if they have in the past shown dereliction of duty by publishing sloppily edited articles, they could still be forgiven. On the other hand, by allowing sloppy ideas like these to find respectability on their site, they have gone further than making the Krishna consciousness movement look like a haven for the unedacted, they give it the look of an insidious cult.

 

We have long know that there is a strong lunatic fringe in the Krishna consciousness movement. Holocaust-deniers, conspiracy theorists, hollow-earth believers, moon-landing hoaxers, anti-evolutionists, flat-earthers, Vedic-cosmology-believers and a host of other kinds of true believers have all found a haven here. Some of these ideas have been given a degree of respectablity by intelligent and educated devotees like Drutakarma and Sadaputa, who have been able to give them something of a rational accoutrement. For the most part, however, these ideas are swallowed wholesale, without even the semblance of discriminating thought. If devotees are so gullible in these matters, one may well ask, does it not prove that their belief in Krishna is further proof of their dupability?

 

If the Krishna consciousness movement has any wish to achieve respectability and status in the social mainstream, it has to be careful about giving too much credence to extreme ideas. Our main idea is extreme enough in itself: we hold that the purpose of life is to revive our eternal relationship with Krishna, to become his servants. That we (at least nominally) choose to eschew the consumerist lifestyle of Western society for nobler goals is sufficient extremism. If on top of this we choose to have a few excentric ideas like not believing anyone set foot on the moon, the problem is not too serious. If, on the other hand, we throw in our lot with notions such as the international Zionist conspiracy, ideas that have the bloodiest and most wicked history of the past century, then we are irreparably blackening the name of the Krishna consciousness movement as a whole. This is not just ignorance, it is wilfull maliciousness. Worse, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the spiritual goals that led us to Krishna.

 

It is to be expected that as the Krishna consciousness movement grows, devotees will hold political opinions on all sides of the spectrum. Those who see the compassion of Radharani as the most meaningful factor in devotional life may tend to a politics of compassion; those who see the discipline of the Gita as most meaningful may promote law and order. A successful society must allow a wide variety of opinion. At the same time, in order to be successful, it must guard against extremisms.

 

In this particular case, we really have to ask, "What on earth does any of this have to do with Krishna?" If Jews are to blame for Christ's death, what does that have to do with serving Lord Chaitanya's lotus feet?

 

One meshuggenah on an open forum said, "Jews......" Please excuse me for even repeating this kind of verbal diarrhoea, but I have a point. That is, that we have to be careful of very real dangers that are omnipresent. Our movement needs theological, philosophical, social and psychological maturity, not farfetched conspiracy theories and paranoid ramblings.

 

VNN has had an admirable policy of openness to Vaishnavas regardless of their institutional affiliation, but they cannot allow freedom of speech to be an excuse for speech that puts the Krishna consciousness movement as a whole into disrepute. I hope this has only been a foolish oversight, and not, as Darwin suggested above, a deliberate policy decision.

 

I call on everyone to write to VNN, not just once but often, to vehemently and vociferously protest against the editorial policy that permitted Srivatsa's articles to be posted and to ask that they be immediately removed.

 

(Admin5: one line removed many may find too offensive)

[Guest guest]

Sorry I forgot to sign in, so I can't edit. It should be "educated" not "edacted". Typo.

[Kulapavana]

True Vaishnavas are not racist and they do not identify with any particular race, as this is material consciousness. "Vaishnava anti-semitism" or "Vaishnava pro-semitism" are both oxymorons and reflect similar material consciousness.

 

What you propose is strict censorship with respect to VNN editorial policy. If you suggest banning anti-semitic articles, should we ban editorials critical to christian faith as well? That can upset a lot of people too. Where do you draw a line? It is supposed to be an open forum, and you are free to write an article exposing the errors of such editorials based on sound Bhagavata philosophy. Debate is healthy, censorship can be very unhealthy.

[Guest guest]

Hi Jan,

 

You're to be commended for bringing those editorials to the attention of the RISA list. I just shot them off a blistering e-mail. The only thing that works in these situations is a loud protest.

 

Best, Pravrajika Vrajaprana/Vedanta Society

[Guest guest]

Prabhu

 

Thank you for the well thought out response. I have been of the opinion that we desperately need a learned seminary for dealing with the issues you have raised. Otherwise we shall end up like Christianity where Paul rewrote the philosophy (Jesus is God) and various Roman armies made it the official dogma.

 

I tried once in Berkeley to get a seminary going – did not succeed. I am looking at other opportunities.

 

Ys

 

Brahmatirtha das

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna,

 

My obeisances. Jaya Prabhupada.

 

My old friend Dr. Jan Brzezinski, Jagadananda Prabhu, has sent me an email complaining of anti-Semitic material on the VNN website. While I may not agree with some of Jagadananda’s positions, I agree 100% with his position on your decision to publish anti-Semitic tirades. I agree with his point warning you to take care not to advertise on behalf of causes promoted by the lunatic fringe. While I can imagine the difficulty you must have when it comes to censorship, I agree with Jagadananda that lunatic ramblings and anti-Semitic material such as the material he described to me should not find a place on a mainstream news vehicle such as yours.

 

Kindly excuse me for writing you with such a criticism. This is the first time I have done so. It appears that on the whole you are all doing wonderful services; nevertheless, I believe it is important to speak out about an issue as important as hate. The Vaishnava acharyas have demonstrated that we can be competitive and argumentative, yet hate has no place in the Vaishnava dialogue.

 

In spite of my total agreement with Jagadananda on this point, I must comment, however, that in the note he sent to me, he mentioned something about Sadaputa and Drutakarma. I wish to make it clear that I have deep regard for Sadaputa and Drutakarma, their ideas, strategies, character, and writings.

 

Your servant, Dayananda das

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Jan Brzezinski,

 

I tried to read them--terrible English. In any case, what in hell are they on about here, anyway? Does anyone you know have the slightest idea what a Vaisnava editorial writer is trying to prove, assert, or just say? What on earth have Vaisnavas to do with Judaism?

 

Could it be that if one carefully searched their recent writings one might find global ambitions of their own? They tend to be a paranoid bunch, from what I've observed. I'm not a Vaisnava specialist, but seems to me the question is worth asking. Perhaps they see their version of Jews as cosmic enemies. I hope that you or someone deconstructs and analyses this trend in addition to protesting it.

 

Regards,

 

Joanna Kirkpatrick, PhD

(Professor of cultural anthropology, Bennington College)

 

http://www.webpak.net/~ricksha/index.htm

[Guest guest]

one of the moderators temporaily banned an ip number of a "guest" poster, thinking a post too inflamatory, not realizing it was Jagat (posting a sample of what others might think). That has been corrected and we apologize.

 

 

from our policy on the guest posting feature: "we will be extremely strict on moderating guest posts. Things that we would allow with registered members, we may not allow by guest posters"

[Guest guest]

I fail to see why that surprises you. The HK organization was supposed to provide the fastest, most reliable means of association with God. When that didn't happen, the people who were really interested in God left, and those who wanted a refuge from reality, including those who wanted a cult where they could manipulate people and submit them to their own will, remained. This residue, of course, contains all sorts of people, but those of genuine spiritual interests will be absent. From what I see, HK organizations - not only ISKCON - resemble a forcefully animated corpse, which lacks inner life. The positive idea died at the moment when Prabhupada's concept of spiritual life failed to meet the tests of reality; the rest was merely a cult in the process of decomposition, supported now only by the blindest of fanatics. The fact that some of those fanatics support very strange beliefs, is not that surprising. Also sad, but not surprising, is the fact that this development is common in all religions. Genuine interest in spiritual matters is so rare in this world, that it would be illusory to expect the masses to gather around it.

 

However, when I look at Prabhupada's books, and see him advertise his method as the only yoga suitable for the world of today, as the fastest and best method of self-realization, and then I look at what came of it - delusion, ego-trip, sexual deviations and all sorts of kooks, I can see it all only as a shameless piece of false propaganda.

 

Jan Brzezinski

 

Admin5: Jagat has explained below that he did not write this article being atributed to him by this "guest" poster. In fact the "guest" poster has added Jagat's name (Jan Brzezinski) at the bottom.

[Jagat]

You signed my name to the post beginning "I fail to see why that surprises you..."

 

I had clearly put Danijel Turina's name in the subject header and given his name and URL at the bottom. Please change this immediately.

 

http://www.danijel.org/

[Guest guest]

So there will be no misunderstanding, the "You signed my name to the post" in Jagat's above post is referring the the "guest" poster.

 

The ip for the "guest" who posted just before Jagat, and signed Jagat's name (Jan Brzezinski) to it, has had his ip banned for twice trying (in this thread and another) to misrepresent that article as being written by Jagat even tho Jagat has explained that he did not write the article. The article was written by a Danijel Turina, whose name the guest poster removed, adding Jagat's name (Jan Brzezinski) instead. click here