The Catholic Church and Responsibility
BY: JANMASTAMI DASA
Aug 11, WEST VIRGINIA, USA (SUN) — Recently one Catholic diocese made its financial reparations to 500 of its members that had sued for abuse. They paid $660 million dollars in damages to those that were abused. ISKCON settled for cheap. As we initially predicted when we advocated all class action members to vote 'No' on the bankruptcy plan, we did so to get to the root of the problem rather than deal with the current ad hominem, de juer dacoits.
The responsibility of government is to fulfill the structural-functional approach to tasks that cannot be performed by individuals without a
collective effort. In exchange for security and stability in their lives, people agree to be led by individuals displaying those kshatriya qualities mentioned in Sri Gita as leadership traits. Nepotism, camaraderie and cooperation were never mentioned by KRSNA as
the actions of a bonafide leader. Psuedo leaders need followers like a master needs slaves, but their cooperative spirit assures no one of their spiritual success or integrity.
Testifying in West Virginia Federal Bankrupcty Court, ISKCON's attorney, Sandy Frey, along with Gupta das and Kuladri, told Federal Judge
Edward Friend that they had $39 million available funds FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANIES ALONE, so there was no possibility of ISKCON "not settling". Rather, they argued that the $440 million sought was exorbitant. Frey also said, "We think that they (the gurukulis) have already caused us quite enough problems with this lawsuit." I was ashamed to see Kuladri use such a defense in federal court and saddened that ISKCON would not agree to pay at least the $39 million offered by the insurance companies. The powers that be had bigger fish to fry. New Vrndaban's posted (as required monthly by the 501(c)3 laws) donation income, which they have to spend to stay truly non-profit, is $40,000 to $80,000 per month, mostly from unsuspecting Indian community life members. They are being vastly exploited by a
handful of Indian expatriates.
Consider Arjuna's fallacious arguments to KRSNA, which lead KRSNA to speak Bhagavad Gita, 2:5:
TRANSLATION
"It is better to live in this world by begging than to live at the cost of the lives of great souls who are my teachers. Even though they are avaricious, they are nonetheless superiors. If they are killed, our spoils will be tainted with blood.
PURPORT
According to scriptural codes, a teacher who engages in an abominable action and has lost his sense of discrimination is fit to be abandoned.Bhisma and Drona were obliged to take the side of Duryodhana because of his financial assistance, although they should not have accepted such a position simply on financial considerations. Under the circumstances, they have lost the respectability of teachers. But Arjuna thinks that nevertheless they remain his superiors, and therefore to enjoy material profits after killing them would mean to enjoy spoils tainted with blood."
Srila Prabhupada is clear that such individuals are "fit to be abandoned", but these days the "forgive and forget" philosophy abounds as it best suits the former power brokers and their henchmen, many of whom have "stayed on", much to their financial advantage. Of course, we know that Arjuna did much more than "abandon" them,
he saw to their extermination. What then is the real lesson of Bhagavad Gita? Is it random or even select forgiveness, or is it justice?
