Idle?
BY: MARGARET CONNORS
Jan 26, USA (SUN) — Idle - We can Never Be:
"Once again, I make the point as before: we do not stand by idly while others are being abused (perhaps except Margaret Conners, that is)."
Mahavidya das, I offered you HDG Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada's clear explanation of the root cause of anyone's suffering in this material world. You cannot extrapolate from that my advocating a scintilla of apathy on the part of anyone towards those who are placed (by Karma or directly by Lord Krsna) in their temporary care. I imply the opposite in fact - emphasizing the attention and care of the parents as the most important link in that chain of "protectors". They and those they enlist in their efforts to educate or care for their children - in any way - are all responsible to do their respective duties correctly. I never implied otherwise.
Now as to your questions:
1.Perhaps, if Margaret has time…she could explain to us why 500+ children took ISKCON to court for abuse, both sexual and physical.
The answer to that is obvious, isn't it? The abuse did occur and some concluded or were induced by others to conclude, that such actions would offer them some emotional satisfaction for whatever pain they felt forced to endure, or the moral outrage they maintain and a desire to punish the guilty that oft times flows from that, or plain and simple - they saw a financial opportunity and elected to reach for it.
Those born with the special impetus of yogis determined to finish their business in this life, however, would never have wasted their time with such a wasteful endeavor. I suspect that many children, so gifted, elected to stay out of the whole affair. Certainly at the most, they would have only directed their actions against those who were in fact actually responsible - the men or women responsible for the events that they all claim left them so scarred. It would have been unthinkable for them to attempt to force all the ISKCON centers in the world to pay them some paltry sum of money; as if this could affect their past - much less their futures.
Likewise, the leadership of ISKCON - had they been thinking correctly - would also not have attempted to include all the ISKCON centers as "responsible" parties in the affair, pretending that ISKCON centers are not actually independently established with their own singularly responsible identity. But this is the material world, it is Kali Yuga and the landscape of the world - and especially these United States - are rife with men and women looking for the means to confiscate money by hook or crook from anyone and for any contrived reason. We all have to "sing for our supper" as my dear mother used to say: this is just how some do it.
The legal profession has no shortage of crooks who stand ready to capitalize upon the misguided in their quest for what they perceive as "justice". But Bhagavad-gita explains that "justice" is only served by the Lord. What we receive in our life, as our happiness and distress, is fixed and cannot be adjusted one tiny bit - except when we surrender to Lord Krsna. That is the justice of this world and no amount of money can alter that a bit.
2. Why members of the leadership were involved directly as perpetrators.
Why other members of our leadership choose to look the other way or say nothing.
Why other members of our leadership helped cover up the abuse…
Your questions here deal with the motives of wrongdoers. You will have to ask them WHY they did these things. I think it is safe to simply accept Lord Krsna's explanation to Arjuna for such actions. Arjuna asked how it was that men are compelled to sinful actions, even against their will. They Lord's answer? Lust only.
My point was and remains that when all this lust and its consequences were discovered, it was dealt with. The results of all that discovery and its aftermath have left their mark on many no doubt - and most assuredly upon all present day and future parents. "To be forewarned is to be forearmed" and indeed I do believe that is the case today throughout Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON mission.
3.Margaret would have us all believe the parents were to blame.
Again you misrepresent my comments. The blame is first and primarily with the soul himself. He invites himself into a particular body and mind, via a particular family (parents, etc.) and the whole affair of his delivered "just desserts" begins anew. His parents and their role in all of this is as "supporting cast members" only. This is the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita. I merely expressed this. Whatever role parents played or play is not the primary cause. But as parents, we are called upon to act in knowledge as opposed to ignorance, and one attains results accordingly.
4. Margaret perhaps could explain to us the dynamics of the Gauri das case.
Why is Gauri das still legitimately employed with the sanction of the GBC?
Why was his part in the abuse covered up?
Being a newcomer to this website - I confess I know absolutely nothing about this gentleman you refer to. But people are employed to accomplish a task in the overall venture of any business. Labor is a factor of production. Like raw materials used to produce a window fan, the labor needed to put the fan together, etc., etc. factors into the delivery of that fan to the market. Why should this man not be "legitimately employed" if his work actually helps whoever he works for to realize greater gain - than were they deprived of his particular talent or skills. I know nothing of him - but I do know this - having worked in the world now for over 10 years: employers seek your employment when and where it is profitable for them to do so - and the very second that is no longer the case - they give you a severance check (if you are lucky!) - a smile and handshake and a "Good Bye & Good Luck".
As far as his purported "abuse"? Again I know nothing of it. But I do not see the two issues as being connected. If he was responsible for some kind of abuse and he is not in jail - I suspect it was a less severe form of abuse that did not merit such actions by the state, then why should he not be able to work and get on with his life? Why he would have to be "cast out" of the devotees' association - if the devotees association and samkirtan is the only means to cure anyone of our defects?
You will have to find the answers to those questions from someone more attuned to this matter. But it sounds more like you resent his gainful employment - or perhaps really just dispute the value given his labor - and mask that with continued focus on some offense of his from the past. That you can clarify if you like.
