Jul 11, 2013 — MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SUN) — The Edward Snowden case though Vedic eyes.
Truthfulness - the loss of it is demonic.
From Bhagavad-gita As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, Chapter 9 - 'The Divine and Demonic Natures':
pravrttim ca nivrttim ca
jana na vidur asurah
na saucam napi cacaro
na satyam tesu vidyate
Those who are demoniac do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done. Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor truth is found in them. (Bg 16.7)
Following such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world. (Bg 16.9)
All over the world these past couple of weeks the NSA whistleblower, Edward Snowden's case has been front page news. There is a debate: Is he a traitor or is he a real patriot? How is his story related to ISKCON's whistleblowers? Are ISKCON devotees who expose deviations in ISKCON 'traitors', or loyal to Srila Prabhupada?
In the past, strong preaching was the essence in ISKCON. Many times in his lectures and conversations, HDG Srila Prabhupada would challenge the demons in charge of the world and make no mistake about it, this enlivened his disciples to preach. Prabhupada even mentioned big names and events, like Watergate, and President Nixon. Nixon was named as a misguided leader, so typical these days in Kali Yuga government, as truthfulness is lost completely.
Srila Prabhupada was not afraid to expose those who cheat, lie and mislead people in Kali Yuga. He was not afraid to speak the truth about our demoniac leaders and demoniac, horrible, misguided civilization. As devotees, we are supposed to be following Srila Prabhupada and reading his books.
It's clear Kali Yuga is progressing quickly all over the world, but especially, it's disturbing to see its rapid, ruthless increase in the United States of America. Srila Prabhupada stated many times -- "What America does, the world follows." That is why Srila Prabhupada came to America and preached so open and strongly. It was a plan to make the whole world Krsna Conscious, using America as the model. If Americans become devotees, the world will follow…
However in ISKCON in America, instead of leading the world as Prabhupada wanted, ISKCON Temples seem hell bent on compromising into Hinduized, New Age preaching and as a result, many inauspicious events have occurred there. Now the USA is losing all its so-called freedoms. 'Land of the free'? Well. Now the cat's out of the bag, with the Snowden case. Many of us who are devotees understand the mindset of the demonic, as seen
though Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Present day society is Godless, that we already knew, and there is no real freedom in a demoniac Godless Society. It's all just propaganda through Maya's agents, illusions. Maya.
We can partially see some parallels between the NSA and GBC. Don't laugh, I'm not joking. How about total denial of any wrongdoing and silencing whistleblowers who expose deviations?
Like Edward Snowden, over many many years, regular devotees in good standing have blown the whistle on all sorts of misconduct and deviations in ISKCON. What's the result? They got ignored, demonized by TPs and GBCs, who banned and pushed them out of ISKCON. Just for stating the truth. Truth is a quality that is vanishing in Kali Yuga. Similarly, Edward Snowden was truthful. Here is the Edward Snowden interview, for your examination:
DISCLAMIER---We are not political, not allied with Snowden or any one political group. We are not followers of Snowden, nor do we support him. But as this article frankly states, he did take courage to tell the truth. It's obvious that he knows he will pay dearly for telling the truth about government abuse of power and deviations he saw firsthand.
Abuse, cover-ups, deviations and hypocrisy are ever-expanding at a fast rate in Kali Yuga, in most institutions and religious organizations. ISKCON has let down its guard to this grave danger. Truths which are lacking in governments and spiritual societies are now sometimes also lacking in ISKCON. This is the truth. When leaders and organizations become corrupted, whistleblowers who cannot tolerate corruption speak out, even if it means they are demonized by the ones they expose. That's the price you pay for truth in Kali Yuga.
We are followers of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, a pure devotee of Krsna. Prabhupada spoke many strong preaching Truths, which are now being downplayed and sugar-coated in ISKCON. Take for example, truths about women's positions and men's positions in the society. So we are examining the worth of the quality of Truthfulness.
When we see and hear Edward Snowden's interview, one thing that is clear is how candid, smart and disarming it is in its truthfulness, yet his reward from those he exposed will be imprisonment and a life full of false accusations. Worse than death. Unfortunately in Kali Yuga, speaking the truth in a society run by demons is now a death sentence. At least in ISKCON, speaking truths only means being ignored or banned these days.
Snowden was a whistleblower about the NSA's abuses, while many of us are whistleblowers for ISKCON's ongoing abuses and deviations. It makes one wonder… what's it going to end? All the compromises in ISKCON? As the GBC act as untouchable as the NSA? The NSA are breaking all constitutional laws as written by America's founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, now violated by The Patriot Act. Law is no longer honored in the USA. 'In God We Trust' is GONE!
Similarly, Srila Prabhupada in his original books laid down the laws, which are being broken by ISKCON leaders and temples all over, and this is a crime, too. His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada was very specific on ALL details of preaching and management in his ISKCON. He left no stone unturned. He instructed leaders on how to manage ISKCON, how Book Distribution was supposed to support temples, and how to propagate ISKCON for the next 10,000 years. What to do and what NOT to do… it's all public in ISKCON, but sadly it's neglected, changed and compromised by his ISKCON leaders.
They have changed how all devotees were to be cared for… how Hinduism and mundane welfare work were not to be allowed into ISKCON, and so many more instructions not followed to a great degree anymore in American ISKCONs, and copied elsewhere. Srila Prabhupada's words ignored and changed now on purpose… does it remind you of anything in Gita, as Lord Sri Krsna says so clearly? 'Those who do not know what is to be done and what is NOT to be done are demons.' Wherever, whoever they may be. In and outside of ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada spelled out clearly what was to be done and what was not to be done in Human Life and in His Society, ISKCON. Yet seeing the state of American/Western ISKCON, it makes you wonder about what Srila Prabhupada clearly told us, his disciples, many years ago… that some are demons in disguise.
Demons have infiltrated ISKCON and tossed out Srila Prabhupada's exact, strict instructions for His ISKCON, and now we see a changed ISKCON… Prabhupada's preaching is compromised in ISKCON. Prabhupada disciples are in danger of being banned for speaking his truth of His movement… simply for speaking his words. For example, if we speak about the Women's Lib movement being bogus, now we are labeled 'Taliban'! Makes one wonder seriously what kind of people join ISKCON, then disrespect Srila Prabhupada's exact words and instructions, and cause dissent and doubt and disrespect for his words. They question him and do not take seriously his words on so many topical issues. They refute the Vedic versions, but still call themselves 'ISKCON devotees'?
There are many example of compromises in ISKCON that are borderline demonic. What happened and is happening now in ISKCON is disobeying Srila Prabhupada! Is that not one of the ten offences to chanting the Holy Names? To disobey the orders of the Spiritual Master or consider him an ordinary man? We see ongoing, compromise, changes, deviations, lackluster preaching to the Indians and the public in our temples in the West. Is that not offensive to Srila Prabhupada? Where is the strong preaching now in American ISKCON?
Instead, Hindu festivals now abound in ISKCON (not Prabhupada's authorized programs). Useless, embarrassing New Age yoga exercises and rock music programs are held in the temples. Contaminating mayavada elements are being introduced into ISKCON. Bogus sahajiya Bhakti Fest festivals, supported by the very same leaders who fail to renew Book Distribution, Harinams and the Bhakta programs in the USA. Book Distribution is reduced, compromised everywhere in America. Harinams almost vanished… little devotee making, etc., etc. And a total disrespect and disregard for those who point this truth out.
Is Edward Snowden a hero for telling and exposing the truth about the abuse he saw? Are devotees heroes or zeros for exposing deviations within Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON movement? You decide. I already have, and my conclusions are based on the original uncut Bhagavad-Gita --- As It Is, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada - an Pure Ocean of Mercy to the unfortunate fallen souls on earth in Kali Yuga.
Like Edward Snowden, who can't tolerate what he saw in the U.S. Government and NSA, many of us devotees can't tolerate what we see happening in Prabhupada's ISKCON, where His Divine Grace's instructions are ignored, changed, and compromised.
