ISKCON's Winter of Discontent
BY: JAYA MADHAVA DAS (ACBSP)
Feb 25, 2012 — MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SUN) — Why the GBC Body must be reformed.
I want to give a comparison to the GBC Body's practices and the practices of U.S. Government/Elite leaders and mundane business CEO-run corporations in Kali Yuga.
There are very troubling similarities. The GBC has a copycat so-called successful mundane, impersonal karmi unaccountability type of management style. I guess they think its dovetailing for KRSNA. To top it all off, they are proud of it! Even though it's the exact opposite of Srila Prabhupada's instructions for ISKCON.
The damaging results of this in ISKCON are seen worldwide (for those who read Prabhupada's books, letters, listen to his lectures and conversations). They see the hypocrisy in ISKCON, but it seems many devotees don't anymore. They don't seem to want to understand Prabhupada's instructions... they are cultists and are merely blind followers.
Now they've launched a GBC website to promote themselves and NOT address the real issues and problems in present day ISKCON. Thus thousands of devotees remain abandoned and their complaints totally IGNORED. Only silence from the GBC. No, not silence, just impersonal empty words from the desk of the GBC, which smack of patronizing us.
In order to get ISKCON back on track in the USA, Europe and worldwide, the GBC first has to not only apologize, but take actions to reverse its many mistakes and deviations in ISKCON. They must be honest and not in denial of ISKCON's blatant massive changes, compromises, deviations and problems. But this, it seems, they are not willing to do... not at all. Just PR and flowery words, form with no substance. Another attempt to avoid many troubling compromises and changes in ISKCON worldwide.
The GBC Centralized ISKCON was directly disobeying Srila Prabhupada's instruction not to do it. It's all downhill after such an offence to Srila Prabhupada, disobeying His instructions for their IDEAS.
The GBC website pretends they are not the same as before, yet nothing in ISKCON is fixed and reformed. The U.S. Government and corporations are well known for phony apologies, PR, pride and elitism. Like the corrupt Government , the GBC give lip service to the complaints of the members and call us `rank and file' in ISKCON, despite the thousands of sincere valid complaints by devotees of wayward guru's, GBC's , temple presidents and a compromised, changed ISKCON that is no longer a powerful force in the West and EU.
And we see what the sad condition of the world is now, in America and other places because of an ISKCON more intent on its corporation-leader image and the image of its GBC, then reality. The whole world is suffering, as they openly refuse to admit ISKCON is in deep spiritual trouble.
For example, in the EU, France, Germany and Italy never recovered from Bhagavan's falldown and the temples are empty. Another example of the sad state of ISKCON in this damaged EU zone. Shockingly in Paris, France, Radha Paris Isvara is no longer in Paris, and the GBC Body seems not bothered to fix this at all! Not one bit.
The house of ISKCON is already on fire, burning down, and the GBC say "I'm OK, You're OK. We're OK." They embarrass serious devotees with an ISKCON News webpage that is a disgraceful collection of mundane news with incorrect content about what's really going on in ISKCON. It's just PR. Its preaching is compromised. The former KGB would be proud of such useless propaganda. ISKCON News went Mainstream, sold out for image and popularity among the non-thinking masses. Tragic, to say the least.
Unauthorized Hinduized programs persist in ISKCON temples for Indian donations, while book distribution and Hari Namas are way, way down. a New age-Hindu ISKCON replaces Srila Prabhupada's original ISKCON. The brahmacari/brahmacarini ashrams, are long in neglect. ISKCON in America no longer wants thoughtful devotees or people to join temples anymore, just Yes men.
Some time ago, I got an embarrassing report from Gainesville Florida about Sesa das (GBC), who reportedly told college students at a Srimad Bhagavatam class all his misgivings on how he joined ISKCON, and if he had to do it all over again, he would have stayed in school. This a GBC? Get that house and American Dream… This is Preserving Prabhupada's ISKCON? He said clearly in class, if he had to do it all over again, he would have stayed in school... not joined the ashram. That's what is being preached now in ISKCON USA. No wonder America is in deep trouble, materially and spiritually.
In other words, stay in school and be successful… or is it Sesa das's way of telling younger devotees, ISKCON won't take care of you? Because that's what happened in ISKCON, it abandoned nearly five thousand Prabhupada disciples and other devotees and acts like NOTHING IS WRONG! But KRSNA won't forget this.
No devotees have any real security in ISKCON anymore, if they ever did in the first place. The GBC made sure it had financial security and all its YES men, who follow the GBC blindly. Even after many, many years of personal sacrifices, we still see in the USA some senior devotees doing 'the pick' with embarrassing lines like the "Sorry we're going to have to give you a citation" scam. How sad. How very, very tragic.
We worldwide devotees want to see an uncorrupted GBC. We are not against the GBC Srila Prabhupada wanted, we are alarmed at how it's gone OFF, deviating from the exact instructions given to it by HDG Srila Prabhupada.
In the UK ISKCON, the managers have a policy, 'agree with us or there is the door'. Many have already left… long gone and it's too late to apologize, Mr. GBC Body , The damage is done, there is blood on your hands. Lord KRSNA will not let you all off the hook so easy for your neglect/offences to the devotees and Godbrothers and Godsisters in UK, America and worldwide. Your inability to even address the complaints of sincere devotees is disgraceful. Pride, dysfunctional behaviors… please get off your high and mighty horses and get down to reality. Time is running out… world wars are looming, and ISKCON can't give proper shelter and help to anyone. You have not developed its farms properly at all. Its management is into the ground, spiritually. Positions, property and money, personal security is more important to you then people (devotees). The ones you call 'rank and file'. Like impersonal CEOs, you treat others (devotees) like rank and file members, use 'em up and throw them away. Your Disposable Rank and File.
The GBC are very good at covering up scandals... practice makes perfect. Prabhavisnu Swami's falldown was a real cover-up job, and its only because of his disciples' detective work that the truth came out about him. The GBC let him down, and us. One of my Godbrother GBC's said about Prabhavisnu, "…Oh , he just sort of faded away gradually...........) Now the GBC know what may happen to them if they just sort of fade away.... But what faded him away, is my question? Among other things, being allowed by the GBC to carry on the show of being a GBC/Guru/Sannyasi. Some knew he had problems, well before his exposed deviation in Bangkok. But it was not taken care of properly .....period. Is it now that instead of blooping, the Sannyasis and Gurus just STAY fallen in ISKCON and eventually fade away.......?
We have seen in the material world cover-ups of massive and shocking proportions, from the 9/11 WTC cover-up to false flag illegal wars in the Mideast. Millions upon millions are suffering. It will get much worse very soon. There are over 50 million unemployed Americans and the number is rising fast... so is crime. It's bold and scary times. Millions have lost their homes due to bank frauds and corruption on Wall Street. As the TSA humiliates travelers and America becomes a Police State. Is the GBC concerned? I seldom hear any strong preaching anymore… like Srila Prabhupada wanted us to preach.
We face serious issues in the world, but it's just one compromise after another in ISKCON. Do the GBC talk about these issues? NO, is the answer. Srila Prabhupada talked about current events, all the time. He challenged the bogus scientists and Christians. Now ISKCON plays the wishy washy Interfaith game.
Does mainstream media report truth? The answer is NO, and it's the same in Western ISKCON, more interested in popularity. The GBC webpage is a PR adventure and nothing more. The same for ISKCON News, as Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON sinks in the West and Europe into a weak, compromised and changed ISKCON. Similarly, the GBC webpage and ISKCON News are examples of mainstream media hype (sold out to Wall Street/bankers) -- PR for the masses, that doesn't really address the serious issues and problems that have changed and compromised Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON for four decades.
The GBC have failed in their duties, and need to reform the GBC body. Some GBC members should simply resign, ASAP. Srila Prabhupada wanted his society to be managed by a GBC, to maintain His standards for the next 10,000 years. The GBC Body have failed to preserve and protect Prabhupada's ISKCON Temples, BBT and original books, and have failed to protect and give shelter to Prabhupada's disciples and devotees. Just how can their website help anyone? It's just talk, just like the useless GBC meetings they have each year. If you think I'm wrong, after the 2012 Meetings see if anything serious or topical is spoken about regarding the many ongoing deviations in Worldwide ISKCON. No preparation for the fall of the world financial systems, WWIII, how to protect all devotees, etc.
Here is a short list of some of the real problems unaddressed by the GBC in ISKCON – topics that are NOT going to be discussed at the 2012 GBC meetings:
Dramatic reduction in Book Distribution and Hari Nama all over the world
Allowing unqualified men and women to be GBC members and allowing unqualified, voted-in gurus in ISKCON
Unauthorized Hinduized temple compromises in ISKCON (like Bhaktivedanta Manor in the UK, Seattle ISKCON, etc.)
Vanishing real Bhakta programs and brahmacari/brahmacharini ashrams in all ISKCON temples in the USA and EU
Gurus exploiting their disciples and wellwishers for money to be wasted on failed speculative fund raising/gambling
ISKCON farms not developed properly as Srila Prabhupada requested (in New Vrindaban, openly selling out to Gas companies on ISKCON property), disobeying Srila Prabhupada's exact instruction not to allow this at all in NV ISKCON.
Where is the real other half of what HDG Srila Prabhupada called "My unfinished work" -- Varnashram culture?
Allowing Seattle ISKCON and Utah ISKCON to do non-Vaisnava programs, as they have simply become Hinduized New Age-for-money/followers, and allowing them and other ISKCON temples to be not legally registered as ISKCON, with the GBC allowing these deviations
Banning devotees in the UK and worldwide who question the lack of accountability for GBC's, Sannyasis and temple presidents worldwide
No transparency with ISKCON temple financial records and accounts (like at Bhaktivedanta Manor, where instead of serving the devotees, they are silencing them)
Allowing paid ISKCON devotees to have high salaries (not maintenance only), as strictly requested by Srila Prabhupada
The GBC allowing unnecessary changes to HDG Srila Prabhupada's books, which has split and damaged ISKCON
Unauthorized New Age yoga classes being permitted in Prabhupada's temples in the USA and elsewhere (for money)
Changing Srila Prabhupada's instructions and preaching mood for compromise and mundane popularity
Green card bhaktas all over the USA/UK
Not seriously making temple devotees anymore, congregation members
only
Turning ISKCON into a Hinduized, New Age, mundane religion, with personality sects all over the place
A failed Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula in Vrindavan (it's not Prabhupada's instruction for Gurukula, its a karmi school – a real hoax, not a true gurukula
New York Temple using Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON property for a bingo hall (for money) in Brooklyn
New York Gurus with big bank accounts who operate like loan sharks, and corrupted temple presidents
Unaccountable Gurus, Sannyasis and GBCs as well as temple presidents and managers, all over ISKCON
Fraud and waste of Srila Prabhupada's money (Laxmi ) in ISKCON temples. Mass unaccountability for money and practices in ISKCON
Mistreatment , neglect of women and children in ISKCON as well as neglect of Prabhupada's disciple's and devotees
Failure to put His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada at the center, although Prabhupada's instructions, words are exact and clear
The GBC have a allowed a changed, compromised, franchised ISKCON-deviation nightmare
After all these years for the mass of rank and file devotees there is absolutely NO care or security. Is the 'New ISKCON' just for New Age-Hindu Yuppies? Those who have money and are YES men to the GBC?
DEVOTEES WORLDWIDE are concerned about GBC mismanagement, lack of accountability to its members and the sad state of Srila Prabhupada's changed and compromised ISKCON in the West. Responsible devotees will say something to try and fix things, when they see an ISKCON leader, manager or temple stray away from Srila Prabhupada's instructions and go off the tracks.
We ask again for REAL reform. We get no reply -- only a web GBC website.
Is the GBC as a body a sincere, honest, humble, thoughtful, repentant, truthful, responsible group? We have grave doubts. When we complain about serious deviations, their deafening SILENCE is our answer, not a GBC website.
