Aug 26, 2019 — LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (SUN) — Tulsi Takes Oath of Office on BBT's Revised Bhagavad-gita, '72 Macmillan Crowd Applauds?
This is a repeating theme observed across social media, with all of the "pre-1978 edition" group on one hand calling on ISKCON to make Srila Prabhupada's original books their standard scripture, while demonizing Jayadvaita Swami's unauthorized editing, and whole heartedly promoting Tulsi Gabbard, as a type of Joan-of-Arc saktyavesa empowered Vaishnava representative of Prabhupada's mission, vowing to bring peace on Earth, and the end to wars, all at the same time.
But, there's a little problem here, some sand in their sweet rice, because how can Tulsi Gabbard keep her promise to protect all Americans, bring world peace and an end bloodshed, while having already passed laws that have murdered 100,000's of American children? Add insult to injury, she took her oath of office, for all the world to see this year, on the BBT's revised Bhagavad-gita, after promising she would never support their edited books.
Following is a conversation with Douglas Dieter, who claims to be Srila Prabhupada's disciple and BBT artist, but won't reveal his initiated name, and Govinda dasi, major advocate for protecting Srila Prabhupada's original books.
Suresh dasa: Is this the same 'Bhagavad Gita As It Is' that you distribute?
Douglas Dieter: That is ISKCON's BBT revised edition. I never distributed that. Never went on Scamkirtan, only on Sankirtan. And never knew of revisions until 1981.
Suresh dasa: I appreciate you don't distribute BBT's revised Bhagavad Gita yourself, but is it ok for other devotees to promote it, even though you don't distribute it? Is there anything wrong with it?
Douglas Dieter: Go ahead and distribute it - but let us be fair you should put all those THINGS, those inhuman THINGS in a zoo for preventing the original Gita from being printed. This repression of the truth is KEEPING more cows being killed and more babies being killed and more wars going on.
No one understands the basic philosophy because no one got to read the beginning books in their original form. Quickly those books were replaced with revisions while no one was the wiser. And, although some may distribute the 1972 MacMillan 'Bhagavad Gita As It Is', they only distribute the revised 1973 MacMillan/Collier edition printed in London and later by KBI which prints only - pre-1978 revisions only.
Until we get Srila Prabhupada's original books back into print we will not be smart enough to avoid internal bickering and save the world by spreading the transcendental message. Those who have original books should have them validated and then begin their distribution on line in haste. The world is going to hell at breakneck speed. We must do the needful.
Suresh dasa: I was asking you if it was ok for other devotees to promote the BBT revised edition and if you saw anything wrong with it?
Douglas Dieter: Plenty I had to have an anti-vomit device surgically implanted so that I can study the changes. As a duty I study but the extreme horror I try to tolerate. Even Horrors in your KBI version which is not original.
Suresh dasa: The reason I'm asking and what I'm getting at is that Democrat presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard took her oath of office, back in January 2019, on the BBT's revised 'Bhagavad-gita', after promising the devotees that she was well aware of Srila Prabhupada's books being illegally changed and promised she'd never support them? Is this ok with you that Tulsi's promoting the BBT's revised 'Bhagavad-Gita'? If it's ok for Tulsi, why isn't it ok for you? Why not get on board distributing the BBT revised 'Bhagavad-Gita', since Tulsi is promoting it, and you're an admitted Tulsi supporter?
Douglas Dieter: All is fair in love and war. And what about that upside-down tree it is in the Fifteenth chapter of what book? The Koran is for not changing Srila Prabhupada's books. Tulsi is not for killing the Koran and Muslims. Did Tulsi have an abortion? If so, by real devotional service she can be forgiven. Who made us judge, jury and executioner? I hate religion it turns the brain to rock.
We need Srila Prabhupada's original books back in print. Tulsi never read one of them and neither have most of us. That is why our brains are fluent as rocks. I have read them and I have memorized them. And if you did not read them before they were revised pre-1978 that is not a sin - but to lie unknowingly that is even a sin. That is why I like poetry it makes one think like a flower and just as fragrant. How about Tulsi is she thinking fragrantly?
Suresh dasa: I didn't quite get your answer. Do you approve of Tulsi Gabbard taking her oath of office on Jayadvaita Swami's BBT revised 'Bhagavad Gita' back in January this year?
Tulsi Gabbard took her oath of office on the BBT's revised 'Bhagavad Gita', after promising the devotees that she was well aware of Srila Prabhupada's books being illegally changed and revised, and promised she'd never support it? Is this ok with you that Tulsi's promoting the BBT's revised 'Bhagavad-Gita'? If it's ok for Tulsi, why isn't it ok for you? Why not get on board distributing the BBT Revised Bhagavad-Gita, since Tulsi likes it?
Douglas Dieter: Yes, that was a low blow criticizing Tulsi for which Gita she used to be sworn in on. The point of the matter is it was the Gita. Bark, bark, bark goes a dog, but nobody is all bad - stop attacking everything about Tulsi. If you are so great, then help her.
Suresh dasa: Tulsi claimed that she would never support the revised 'Bhagavad-Gita' and that she was very aware of the unauthorized editing issue. Then in January 2019, the BBT made a brilliant move and got Tulsi to take her oath of office on their revised Gita that Tulsi promised she'd never support. What Tulsi did for the BBT was show ISKCON's entire membership that it was safe to solely accept the BBT's revised 'Bhagavad-Gita', and that it's "just as potent" as Srila Prabhupada's original edition. What you're going to see now is the original books will never be accepted in ISKCON again. If it's good enough for Tulsi, why isn't it good enough for you?
Good to know there's no difference in your mind between the various Bhagavad-Gita's then. They're all the same - right? A Gita is a Gita, and since Tulsi's shown endorsing the BBT's revised Bhagavad Gita, it must be better than anything you have right? At least the rest of ISKCON thinks so. If it's good enough for Tulsi, and you mindlessly applaud everything Tulsi does, why isn't it good enough for you? That's why I don't get why you even promote the original 'Bhagavad-Gita As It Is' and make such a big deal out of it, since they're all the same, your own words?
Douglas Dieter: The book as unread unopened remains a symbol. One symbol
Suresh dasa: In the minds of ISKCON's entire congregation this symbol carries big weight. Tulsi Gabbard endorsed BBT's revised Bhagavad-Gita, but you didn't object. Your position is defeated and will never rise again. You compromised your principles, "a Gita is a Gita" your own words, meaning they're all the same to you. It was a brilliant move by BBT, and you said nothing to object, as expected, because you've been programmed, to mindlessly applaud everything Tulsi does. It was very easy to fool you, pulling the wool over your eyes. You're not alone. All the others in your "Original Edition Pre-1978" group, like Punya, Palaka, Govinda dasi, Bobby Hebert, and many others who pushed so hard to preserve Srila Prabhupada's original books, gave Tulsi a pass, just like you, and in doing so, you threw in the towel, gave up, and the BBT won. Discussions are over. Tulsi's revised BBT 'Bhagavad-Gita' shall remain ISKCON's standard scripture. Everyone will want Tulsi's Bhagavad Gita now, and if it's good enough for Tulsi, why isn't it good enough for you? Why do you turn a blind eye to this? The war is over. JAS's edited Bhagavad-Gita is ISKCON's standard now. Everyone's going to want the book Tulsi promoted and it's not the 1972 Gita. Why be in denial?
Govinda dasi: I didn't know this. Tulsi must not have had an original one available. I will ask her mom how that happened?
Suresh dasa: Why does she have any other edition available? Your argument doesn't make sense. Tulsi stated she opposes editing of Srila Prabhupada's books and is well aware of changing of Srila Prabhupada's books, and can't support it. Why is she taking her oath of office on the BBT's changed Bhagavad-Gita? Why doesn't she have Srila Prabhupada's original 1972 edition that she claims she supports.
Govinda dasi: I don't know. I do know I was in Texas, all my books back in Hawaii, and had to buy a new Gita and that's how I even discovered the vast editing. But, Tulsi should know better than this.
Suresh dasa: What Tulsi did was set a precedent. Now all of ISKCON will want the same Bhagavad Gita that Tulsi has - the BBT's revised Bhagavad-Gita. This is a big victory for the BBT. Tulsi didn't take her oath of office on Srila Prabhupada's 1972 edition. Will you publicly take a stand and make any objection to what Tulsi has done?
Otherwise, it seems rather hopeless that Srila Prabhupada's original books will ever be accepted as ISKCON's standard scripture again. If it's good enough for Tulsi, why isn't it good enough for you? This is a big victory for the BBT and a brilliant strategy on their part.
Govinda dasi: She DID take her oath in past on the original Gita. I don't know what happened here but will try to find out?
Suresh dasa: Really? Tulsi took her oath of office on Srila Prabhupada's 1972 edition? Do you have the images? I researched this and every time she took her oath of office, for all the world to see, it was never on Srila Prabhupada's 1972 edition. Do you have any image I can look at that confirms your claim? She merely claimed she didn't support the BBT's editing, just like she claimed she doesn't support abortion, but when you check there are no images of Tulsi ever taking her oath of office at any time on Srila Prabhupada's original edition, and Tulsi has Congressional voting records she can't avoid that prove she supported and repeatedly passed laws for abortion, pointing to her total hypocrisy, as a politician, who will tell any lie to get elected.
Govinda dasi: It was, she says, the days in the Middle East that taught her the dangers of a theocratic government "imposing its will" on the people. She tells me that, no, her personal views haven't changed, but she doesn't figure it's her job to do as the Iraqis did and force her own beliefs on others.
Suresh dasa: You can't possibly have spoken with Tulsi Gabbard about this issue so soon, because she's still in Indonesia, on military maneuvers, and unavailable. Sounds like you speculated and made an excuse that makes no sense, but you thought you could bluff. You keep underestimating me. I am not one of your stupid fools that you can easily manipulate.
Conclusion: What bothers me, that I have no explanation for, is how the most prominent "pre-1978 original edition" proponents, and Srila Prabhupada's own disciples, are also the biggest Tulsi Gabbard supporters, which points to a total breakdown and failure in spiritual understanding. Do they only sell the original books, but never read them? I wonder, what the hell is going on? Where in Srila Prabhupada's books and teachings does he ever advocate that murdering children is acceptable as Tulsi Gabbard has done? Of course, they'll never accept defeat. Nor can they comprehend the subtlety of their compromise, purposely created by the BBT. They're convinced whatever Tulsi Gabbard does is good, and they can't think for themselves or reason, questioning discrepancies like this, or they may be playing a part, as the source of the Tulsi Gabbard hoax themselves, and can't cross Tulsi or admit themselves being mistaken. How can they condemn Tulsi for taking her oath of office on the wrong book? This dilemma often occurs in mass social brainwashing operations. Even though ISKCON's standard may be the BBT's revised Bhagavad Gita for now they reason, Garuda prabhu's 'As It Was' editing team will save the day, and that's where they'll make their last stand.
