Harivilasa dasa on Muslims
BY: SUN STAFF
Aug 30, VANCOUVER, CANADA (SUN) — We have been following the recent discussion on Islam with great interest, and look forward to numerous articles on the subject that we expect to publish in the days ahead. We have heard little from the GBC so far as to the proper mood for a Gaudiya Vaisnava to take regarding the Islamic faith, particularly in light of current world events. However, one GBC has weighed in on the matter - HG Harivilasa dasa.
The topic arose at a recent meeting that took place here in Vancouver, BC. At that meeting, our local GBC, Harivilasa dasa, stated in front of a number of senior local devotees that he is 100% in favour of George Bush, and voted for him twice. He said that one of the reasons he likes Bush so much is because he went after the Muslims. Harivilasa thought it was great that under Bush's direction, the Americans 'bombed the hell' out of Afghanistan, because now we can go preach to them without interference from the fanatical Muslims.
Keep in mind that Harivilasa dasa was talking to Canadians here. In fact, in the same conversation he said he hates Canada because it's too socialist. Harivilasa apparently considers himself to be a right wing Republican.
So this is the message coming from our local GBC. What should we do? Given that we're supposed to look at the GBC as being the collective equal to the present Acarya, one would assume that we should all take up this mood. Unfortunately, I think this may be difficult for many Canadians.
In a Morning Walk conversation on June 23, 1975 in Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada referred to voting for politicians (like George Bush) as being akin to small animals voting for a bigger animal:
"That kicking out will convince them. Otherwise, they will not be convinced. So long they are in the post, they will never be convinced. But when they are kicked out, when they are street dog, then they will be... (break) Otherwise, you can pass resolution, the senators. When the senators come for vote, you tell them, "First of all dismiss all these things. Then we shall give you vote. Otherwise no more vote." Then they will be also. And vote has become cheap. Samstutah purusah pasuh. That example I was giving, that small animals and big animal. The lion is a big animal, and he is afraid of by the small animals, jackals, cats and dogs. So out of fear, they are giving vote. But giving vote to whom? To an animal. So how they can be happy? A small animal is giving vote to the big animal. But suppose a big animal, a lion, he is very powerful. Does it mean he is human being? He is animal. So the small animals may be afraid of that big animal, but the human being knows that he is animal. That's all. He doesn't care for this animal. The animal may be very strong, but that does not mean he will be given any credit of human being. No. That is not possible. So in this animal civilization there are many strong, big animals. So they are voted by the small animals, but we are not going to vote that he is very important figure. No. We immediately reject. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna. "One who is not Krsna conscious, he is useless." That's all. We are not going to echo the small animals. That is not possible. We reject, "Oh, he is animal." That's all. So our test is whether one is Krsna conscious. You can say that "If you are not a big animal, that does not mean that you are a big man." That is... We admit. But we have got our Krsna. Krsna says, "Here is a rascal." And so we say, "Here is a rascal." That's all. On the strength of Krsna.
Harivilasa dasa's comments in support of killing fanatical Muslims may simply be an indication of his passionate nature. He made similarly fiery remarks against his own GBC associates recently, railing against them for not taking action against Dhanurdhara on the child abuse issue:
"The gurukula children who were tortured, maimed, raped and used as sex slaves, starved, terrorized in ISKCON schools were subjected to these horrors because "kali chelas" or agents of kali entered our movement to destroy it by torturing and molesting our next generation. This has placed such a stigma on ISKCON and its leadership that it may be impossible to heal in this generation or the next."
"To complicate matters, Dhanurdara Maharaja is supported by prominent members of the GBC and the movement. Those members who support him and have effectively stopped the hand of justice from acting or the rule of law are also implicated in the unimaginable horror and evil perpetrated by Dhanurdara Maharaja and others involved in the gurukula molestation and abuse. As long as Dhanurdara Maharaja continues to function "IN ISKCON" as an authority and hold an honorific title, there is mud on the face of the GBC Body. There is an indelible stain that will not wash off."
For a more complete look at Harivilasa's comments on Dhanurdara, read Harivilasa 'Names Names'.
Here on the West Coast, we get very little exposure to the GBC. Although there are three GBC's assigned to Vancouver, two of them seldom come here. So these comments by Harivilasa dasa represent our local conduit to the GBC. Srila Prabhupada wanted to create brahmans and have them in charge of the movement, not hot-headed radical businessmen in the guise of GBC's. The GBC put Harivilasa dasa in power 20 years ago, and now, in order to be in ISKCON, we have to follow this person. Only the GBC has the power to remove him, but even after he insults them directly, they don't do so. So what chance do we have of getting a reprieve from this kind of preaching? One must rely upon the instructions of Srila Prabhupada in order to understand issues as complex as how the Vaisnava should relate to the Islamic religionists.
