Apr 19, 2013 — MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SUN) —
Introduction
The article you are about to read is further evidence of the watering down, deterioration and compromising of the preaching in ISKCON America and ALL OVER THE WORLD. Recently I was contacted by a senior godbrother to do this article (with his help). He was distressed by all this. It is sad to see the wholesale, pre-mediated deliberate editing-out of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada's name on flyers for Ratha Yatra. Personally I was shocked to see this practice even on Los Angeles' leaflets and posters. It's offensive and 'the smoking gun' that something's way off in ISKCON. The temples who do this are offending Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna and Prabhupada's disciples and followers. Following are the leaflets themselves for your examination, as well as Seattle ISKCON's wacky HINDU website.
Just see how off and wrong the Seattle ISKCON temple has become… mundane Hinduism and NO ONE CARES! GBC Body, WHERE ARE YOU? Why is this being allowed to go on in Srila Prabhupada's Temples?
Regarding the Ratha Yatra ads, most posters and leaflets don't say HARE KRSNA or ISKCON or Srila Prabhupada's name. Also missing is the Maha Mantra! Can you believe this is happening? But it's a fact, so get angry for these offences to Srila Prabhupada. This is so seriously offensive to see, yet the GBC and temple presidents let it go on. This neglect MUST end.
Apparently, ISKCON temples are afraid to preach strongly and are ashamed of being ISKCON and Hare Krishna devotees. They have gone over to a Hindu or New Age compromise. And America suffers from such a weak, compromised ISKCON and its weak, lackluster preaching. Now it's all Bells and Whistles to attract the wrong crowd. This is a FOOLISH policy and offensive to our Founder-Acarya, HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.
Many years ago, when Srila Prabhupada was with us physically, we were known quite commonly as the Hare Krishnas. People would see us and say, "Oh, it's the Hare Krishnas". Srila Prabhupada very happily and proudly used these words to describe his movement at times, and Yadubara das, the filmmaker, produced a number of documentaries called The Hare Krishna People, which guided watchers through the devotional activities, practices and accomplishments of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the Hare Krishna Movement, at its various centers throughout the world.
All the Temples' promotional cards and flyers and various types of printed materials for spreading Krishna consciousness were quite clearly and directly coming from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and quite clearly and purposefully indicated the name of its creator, Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. All the books printed by the BBT indicated the same, and all Temples were required to have these basic statements on their front signage. It was also imperative that all legal documents, temple letterheads, etc. include this information. This was the accepted standard, as it was the direct order of Srila Prabhupada that this be done. He would sometimes get quite upset if there were deviations from this standard.
Quite to the contrary, nowadays it's very common in ISKCON to hold functions and events that have little or nothing to do with Krishna and to promote them with ambiguous spiritual or mundane enchantments. People are often "lured" to the temple or festivals under the pretense of yoga and self-discovery, fun and games, and other downright mundane attractions. Some temples even avoid calling themselves Hare Krishna Temples, and have taken up nomenclatures such as 'Vedic Cultural Center', 'Bhakti Center', etc. A quick perusal of some of the promotional flyers and Internet posts used to attract people to programs is quite revealing in this regard. Several such pieces are included below. You will be shocked (or maybe not) at what you see/read. Almost half don't even include Srila Prabhupada's name.
ISKCON is in a diseased, compromised, dysfunctional neglected condition all over the world. Many temples are COMPROMISED, many empty, no Bhakta program. I am ashamed to see the downfall of the Seattle ISKCON Temple (as just one example). There are too many examples. Leaders spoil and ruin ISKCON out of neglect, false ego or arrogance, oblivious to the sincere complaints and voices of many sincere devotees over the years.
I'm ashamed to see Srila Prabhupada's Bhaktivedanta Manor being used WRONGLY. It's used for illegal unauthorized karmi weddings in the temple room, all for money. There's also New Age nonsense, Mayavadi gatherings and questionable kirtans (Bhakti Fest style). It should be called Bhaktivedanta MONEY, not Manor. Srila Prabhupada's Manor is compromised, Hinduized.
I'm ashamed to see Australia ISKCON go down the tubes, with an unqualified GBC who is in Maya. What are the GBC body going to do to fix all these problems in ISKCON? Do they even care? One GBC guru recently commented on all the problems… His quote: "No one cares anymore". This is unbelievable but TRUE! will they continue to remain SILENT to the valid complaints of so many, many sincere devotees?
WHEN will His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada's teachings in his books, lectures, letters, conversations and exact Instructions be RESTORED in ISKCON?
It would appear that the new standard for preaching the message of Lord Krishna, Sri Caitanya and our Acharyas is to not say anything about them and their teachings at all. Just make friends and get people to like us. While there is some merit to making friends, it can become a dangerous compromise to our overall message if done whimsically or sentimentally, as appears to be the case. The danger is that in all the so-called tactfulness of this approach, something has been left out: Krishna and Prabhupada. And without Krishna and Srila Prabhupada, where is the question of the Hare Krishna Movement?
