Hridayananda on ISKCON Liberalism, and Life

BY: SUN STAFF

Feb 08, 2013 — CANADA (SUN) — Following is an exchange between Hridayananda and a devotee from his Yahoo Istagosthi forum, entitled "Q&A with Srila Acharyadeva on ISKCON, Homosexuality, Science and Women":

Question: I'm a gay man who has some concerns as to whether or not it's a good idea to pursue deeper commitment (initiation) in ISKCON given the homophobic tenor of ISKCON's stance on the issue. All things being equal, would it be wiser to pursue another spiritual path (organization), rather than to spend time and energy hiding and remaining in the organizational closet, so to speak. A dreary waste of time in my opinion.

Some background here: friends have cautioned me (as they have watched me becoming more involved) that ISKCON is an extremely conservative organization, and is fairly intolerant of gay people, modern science, woman's rights, other religions, etc. Hmmm, got me a little worried! Personally, I have not experienced any negativity from any of the local devotees, but still there remains the larger concern of ISKCON in general. Ultimately I don't want to participate in or support an organization that promotes bigotry, homophobia, misogyny… whatever. Any insight, wisdom or guidance you may have will be greatly appreciated.

Answer by Srila Acharyadeva: The simple point is that ISKCON is a huge, very diverse, global society. The kindness and understanding that you have received there is typical of many, I would even say most, ISKCON communities.

There is a very large and growing liberal community within ISKCON. One excellent feature of ISKCON: it is not a tightly controlled society where a few leaders tell everyone exactly how to think. In fact within reasonable limits, ISKCON tends to be an open society where people who follow Vaishnava etiquette can express their views and advocate various issues.

ISKCON's attitude on science, women's rights, other religions etc is quite good. We are active in interfaith dialogue around the world, there are more and more women in leadership positions, the governing body has officially stated that women can be gurus, the highest spiritual position, and we have several sophisticated science institutes around the world, along with a number of accomplished devotee scientists.

We don't offer knee-jerk fealty to fanatical scientism, but we do engage in meaningful scientific dialogue. Whoever gave you the negative picture of ISKCON is a bit lost in time. It sounds more like ISKCON 25 years ago when we were all young and immature.

I would strongly encourage you to stay with Prabhupada. He is not replaceable. Again, your experience there is typical of many, many other centers. Let's work together to make ISKCON even better. Prabhupada said our attitude should be as in the old saying, "England, with all thy faults I love thee." Prabhupada needs us to make his society even better.

With best wishes,

Hridayananda das Goswami

January 27, 2013

And here is the latest update from Hridayananda to his followers

Report from Srila Acharyadeva

Dear Devotees,

Please accept my blessings. Jaya Srila Prabhupada. I am happy to report that Lord Krishna has blessed me with improved health. It is clear that for now, Krishna wants me to focus on writing, and avoid public speaking. By following Lord Krishna's indication, I am making real progress in my physical health, in my devotional service, and in my own spiritual advancement.

On October 14, I left Los Angeles with my disciple Srivasa Dasa from Guadalajara Mexico. We stopped for one week in Claremont, California, a famous academic center and then traveled to ISKCON Tucson, Arizona. On the way to Tucson, we stopped to rest for several days in Palm Springs, California, and then one day in Yuma, Arizona.

I was delighted to see that the sincere devotees of Tucson, led by my excellent Godsister Sandamani Devi Dasi, are attracting many intelligent, sincere young people to Srila Prabhupada's mission. The devotees there took care of me with great kindness and hospitality. After eight days of ecstatic but very tiring preaching in Tucson, I continued east and spent one week in Silver City, New Mexico, a somewhat 'new age' little college town 6000 feet up in the Southern Rocky Mountains of Southwest New Mexico. Srivasa Dasa flew back to Mexico from Tucson and so I traveled with Prabhupada and Krishna to Silver City.

After resting there for one week, I drove to El Paso, Texas where I met my one of my first disciples Jaya Govinda Dasa. Jaya Govinda Dasa has been rendering particularly valuable service by arranging all the travel details and generally helping in many ways. He and I then drove to San Antonio, Texas, where a Croatian disciple of Bhakti Tirtha Swami, Advaita Acaraya Dasa, is leading a dynamic, intelligent preaching center, focused on attracting college students to Krishna. They sell prasadam three days per week at a large, local university and have a small, but strong community.

After two days there, we drove to Houston where I spent about 15 days in the house of Indian devotees who were traveling in India and kindly offered their home to us. We also did a little preaching there. The temple president, my good friend Syamasundadra Dasa, has developed a large and exceptional community in the area.

We then drove to New Talavana where I stayed in the lovely house of Devala Rsi Dasa and Sri Pati Devi Dasi, two of my oldest and kindest disciples. I stayed there over three weeks, and then started back west. For the last two weeks I have been again the San Antonio area where I am receiving many acts of kindness from the devotees here.

Although the preaching in Los Angeles, Tucson, San Antonio, Houston and New Talavana was ecstatic and purifying, the result on my health was disastrous. That is why I am fully convinced that Lord Krishna is personally instructing me to retire, for now, from public speaking and focus on writing. In a Bhagavatam purport, Srila Prabhupada writes that a sannyasi's mod important service is to leave a literary contribution. It is logical and clear that I can serve Srila Prabhupada's dear devotees, and the world, most effectively by writing and so I happily accept Lord Krishna's decision for me.

In a short time, I will continue traveling west. Lord Caitanya Himself decided to live in Puri, and not Vrindaban, so that he could be closer to His mother, and she could more easily receive news of Him. So I do feel an obligation, after traveling for several months, to give some time to my mother and so I will be heading west soon.

As I indicated above, Lord Krishna is blessing me in my writing and I am very enthusiastic to serve all of you in this way. For now, I will continue to limit email, as it is simply impossible to answer everyone's letters and still write and even maintain my health. I sincerely pray to Lord Krishna to bless all of you with happiness, health, and inspiration in your holy service to Gaura-Nitai. I will send more news in a while.

I am sorry that I did not write to you sooner, however I was struggling with serious health problems which now, by Lord Krishna's mercy, are diminishing.

With best wishes,

Hridayananda das Goswami

January 25, 2013