ISKCON’s child protection hypocrisy
I submitted a comment to Dandavats.com last week simply asking how to report violations of ISKCON Law 3.5.5.1.3.9, related to notifying ISKCON communities when a person known to have abused children is being maintained at the temple or staying on temple property. Several comments on other subjects have been approved and published since mine was submitted, but my question has so far been ignored. The top article on the site right now brags about a child protection project, but I cannot help but feel like ISKCON has a predominantly cover-your-ass mentality with the leaders more concerned about protecting their reputations than protecting the vulnerable persons in ISKCON.
Does anyone know an easy way to report serious violations of ISKCON Law by GBC members to the GBC body? In this case, reporting to the Child Protection Office is not a very good option, because one of the persons who participated in breaking ISKCON Law 3.5.5.1.3.9 at Gita-nagari in 2005 was Tamohara, the Director of the ISKCON Child Protection Office. The others were Radhanatha, Malati, and the late Bhakti-Tirtha.
These four, Bhakti-Tirtha, Tamohara, Radhanatha, and Malati, all disregarded ISKCON Law 3.5.5.1.3.9 when they facilitated Vakresvara Pandit to come to Gita-nagari and stay as a V.I.P. for a few months, despite his failure to meet the principle conditions for allowing his participation with ISKCON after the Child Protection Office determined that he had repeatedly molested a child girl only 1/3 his age. The rectification plan in the Official Decision pertaining to Vakresvara Pandit says that he had to comply with its first two requirements or not be allowed on ISKCON property or any participation in ISKCON functions, yet he showed only contempt for the established rectification process. How, then, did these GBC members consider Vakresvara Pandit a safe person, what to speak of his being qualified to sit on the Vyasaasana and give class?!!!
Although these GBC members apparently felt no need to comply with ISKCON’s child protection laws, rules, and official decisions (they made up their own rules for this occasion and broke them too), my wife and I were alarmed to have a child molester living luxuriously in our community, especially without the community knowing of him as a potentially dangerous person. Because I pursued this as a concern consistent with my official duties, I was driven out of the community and eventually out of ISKCON, which I find so obscenely wrong that it undermines everything Srila Prabhupada taught.
Judging by the results at this point — especially when I consider the abuse of over 500 ISKCON children in the gurukulas that Srila Prabhupada founded and had filled by his order, topped off by my experience of losing a popularity contest against a child molester (thanks to such big gurus praising him so much) even while our community was trying to come up with $35,000 to pay part of the child abuse settlement — after fifteen years of chanting Hare Krishna, I can no longer take ISKCON seriously as a spiritual movement. It is time to move on.
http://www.iskconresolve.org
Thanks Nitai. I submitted the following message to their web form a week ago, but I have not received any reply:
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I posted a blog entry last month, and someone commented with a referral here.
http://oppositerule.govindapeacefarm.com/?p=977
I spoke to Braja Bihari in 2007 about this issue which arose in 2005, which helped in the short term, but I was never really able to recover. Then I learned from this year’s censure of Bir Krsna Gosvami that the devotees who were opposing me in 2005 were defending gurus who were in violation of ISKCON Law. Even Tamohara the CPO director seems to have been violating that law at that time.
I don’t know if this is the right avenue to pursue this, or if maybe I should just let it go, because facing so much devotee opposition has been extrordinarily uposetting and has turned me off to the whole bhakti process. I’ve been reading mayavadi teachings for the past six months just to help me forget it. Since this is after fifteen years of almost exclusively studying Srila Prabhupada’s books, perhaps you can understand my level of frustration.
- Paul Howard
(formerly “Pandu das”)
Paul prabhu,
Hare Krsna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. PAMFO
I’m here at your site, having received an email from one devotee
— On Fri, 8/5/11, .com> wrote:
From: .com>
Subject: response to pandu
To:
Date: Friday, August 5, 2011, 11:21 AM
pandu wrote this:
http://oppositerule.govindapeacefarm.com/?p=986
So I went and looked at a few things.
Prabhu, Please try to understand that this ISKCON movement attracted a LOT of DEMONIC people to it. (Srila Prabhupada knew this. The problem was that so many of us, including you and me, didn’t realize this. Atmavan manyate jagat: One relates to others based on the platform that s/he comes from; meaning if you’re loving, caring and honest, you credit others with being the same as you, and are suprised when they aren’t and are SHOCKED when you find out how DIShonest (and out and out DEMONIC) some of them are.
WHAT do you EXPECT from Bhaktitirtha who arranged for some murders (and has had devotees beaten up – problem is though, that they’re too scared to say anything about what they experienced, though at least some of them have told me). What do you expect from Radhanath who also arranged for Sulochan prabhu’s murder (and has done some other nefarious things, but right now I’m not going to mention them. Hopefully Krsna will allow the truth to come forth with time – Krsna’s the Time Factor).
What do you expect from (Abnor)Malati, who is CRAZY??? and was herself involved with doing things “which she shouldn’t have been doing”. ALL of these three were “doing things they shouldn’t have been doing.”
Tamohara is a paid GBC who is a PART of the GBC “Mafioso” Greedy Bastards Club, Great Big Cheaters, and all the rest.
If we haven’t become intelligent enough to REALIZE that these people do NOT care about you, me, the other devotees (except for those who are part of their “fan club”) and do NOT care about the children – other than PRETENDING they “are concerned” and APPEAR to address something BUT ONLY IF it gets that out of hand that too many people begin to find out – then we are still under a VERY GREAT!!! ILLUSION.
Brajabihari is a useless demon; useless in terms of he is NOT going to do anything to give resolve to anyone’s issues in relation to some problem regarding ISKCON. He was placed into that position to REVOLVE things; SPIN a person around. (I wrote this sometime back):
From http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/10-08/editorials3468.htm
“I personally know of SOME devotees who have gone to ISKCON Resolve. Not only have they gotten NO success, but ended up with increased frustration. (I had my own personal experience, but I am NOT including that in this statement. I am referring to OTHER devotees who had spoken to me regarding their direct experiences.) We are also seeing what devotees are writing on “Sampradaya Sun” concerning Braja Bihari directly. From this alone there is obviously a question regarding him as well as his ISKCON Resolve. The GBC will NOT “discontinue” ISKCON Resolve “as it is,” (or as it isn’t) because it is just the way the GBC WANTS it to be; NOT resolving (for the devotees) the issues they bring, but rather “DISSOLVING” the issue(s) and possibly the devotee hirself. Maybe we should call ISKCON Resolve, “ISKCON Dissolve,” or ISKCON ReVolve – since it can make a devotee turn, turn, turn in its NON-dealing of an issue, or turning their heart in frustration and/or direct denial or simply a dissolving of an issue by NOT addressing it (ISKCON Dissolve) and “obliterating” (ISKCON Dissolver) it, “forcing it to ‘not be there’”.
It’s because of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s direction (Adi 9.36,30) to give this Krsna consciousness process to everyone, that there are so many “whatevers” within ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada (in His Madhya 1.220 purport) quotes Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur regarding the presence of Kali celas.
So one needs to separate the pure philosophy (and know how Srila Prabhupada as a PURE devotee was living) from the lives and actions of these DEMONIC people.
Your servant,
B. Radha-Govinda
Hare Krsna
You people will never understand that all of ISKCON is a big Child molesting cluster that protects each other at all costs. after 35 years you so-called devotees cannot see it. and you cannot see the root of this all is Prabhupada and his wacky teachings. When you leave the cult, it all becomes crystal clear, but while in the cult, the deluded and distorted sense of reality he (prabhupada) has created keeps one from seeing and understanding the obvious.
Why would you think Srila Prabhupada’s teachings are the root of child molestation? Which teachings, specifically?
Michael prabhu,
It’s a definite fact that within ISKCON there is a big child molesting cluster that protects one another, but don’t delude yourself into thinking that all of the devotees aren’t aware, or as you say, “cannot see it.”
But understand this, Srila Prabhupada presented what has been given by Krsna, and the Sastras: (evam parampara praptam…)
See Srimad Bhagavatam 1.14.41 verse and purport which specifically explains that children, women, cows, brahmanas and old men are supposed to be protected.
That the GBC has NOT followed Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, along with the fact that there were certain individuals who came to ISKCON for whatever their reasons (which were not based on a desire for “serving God”) who were not following the SB 1.14.41 verse, cannot be blamed on Srila Prabhupada, because Srila Prabhupada certainly didn’t teach such abuse.
Thank God for the internet. So happy to have found your blog Mr. Howard. I was going crazy after time spent in the Hare Krishnas for a year. Even though there are still things I like about the movement, I can’t spend any more time in the inner circle of ISKCON, mainly in part to my experiences with blatant misogyny at larger temples like NYC Brooklyn, New Vrindaban, sometimes Detroit. Also I’ve spoken with Malati and Radhanath before, pretending to be a meager servant, and they both ooze negativity, sleazey-ness, greed, and pride. I would love to know about other things Radhanath has done.
However, I’m happy ISKCON has survived to maintain Ratha Yatra and Janmastami festivals, but that’s honestly the only thing they ever have going for them now that keeps attracting people, and Bhaktivedanta Swami’s books sold by street pickers on the lowest level of ISKCON’s bureaucracy. (And the delicious Indian vegetarian food.) Regardless, I am quite disgusted by the details of child and women abuse. It honestly does not surprise me at all. I hope God blesses and helps every lost young and old adult in this cult.
Dear Jyoti prabhu,
Hare Krsna. I hope you are well.
Srila Prabhupada transported the (pure) message and process Krsna has given to humankind for enabling us to become freed from the illusions which keep us bound to this material world. Krsna is always giving us freedom of choice to follow that which He has given for enabling us to attain such freedom from material illusion; thus, people who have come to ISKCON, make their own choice as individuals to follow or not. (Of course the leaders are supposed to be following and giving good guidance to others, but – sad as it is – right now, the ISKCON leaders in general are more concerned with padding their pockets and bank accounts, and increasing their power and control over others.
A devotee is loving
Neither child molestation and/or abuse of children, women (or anyone) have anything to do with the pure philosophy of Krsna consciousness. Such abuse is due to a perversion in consciousness of a particular individual. Srila Prabhupada wanted us to have a proper understanding of the Krsna consciousness philosophy so that we could understand who is a proper representative of Krsna and who isn’t, because (sadly in today’s world, and including in the Krsna consciousness movement), people get very fooled by someone else’s charisma, their ability to speak eloquently, etc., thinking someone to “be a ‘saint’” when the person has some hidden agenda….
It’s explained in the Vedas that in this age of Kali (quarrel and hypocrisy), many people will dress in saintly clothing, pretending to be “saints” only for the sake of getting power and money. This holds true of some people in the “Hare Krsna” movement. At the same time, one should understand that there are some genuine practitioners who are truly saintly by dint of their consciousness and character. It is these people, if we are desireous for developing Krsna consciousness, whose association we want to obtain.
Position means nothing, as in so many venues, we find there are people who have this or that position, but are abominable people.
One time Srila Prabhupada was with a devotee, and while they were speaking, some of the ISKCON sannyasis who were in a group came walking towards Srila Prabhupada and this devotee. The devotee then said to Srila Prabhupada, “Srila Prabhupada, the advanced devotees are coming.” Srila Prabhupada then replied, “They are not the advanced devotees. This is the advanced devotee,” Srila Prabhupada pointing to one devotee who was sweeping the sidewalk.
Practically all – if not every last one of them – of the present-day “leaders” of the “Hare Krsna” (ISKCON) movement are power and money hungry, and have deviated Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON in a very different direction than that intended by Srila Prabhupada. They have changed Srila Prabhupada’s books, changed the form of management Srila Prabhupada wanted used for HIS ISKCON society, and are guilty of so many other deviations both as individuals and a collective management body.
Very serious, honest, genuine aspirants in Krsna consciousness have been beaten up, (even some devotees killed) and booted out of ISKCON, by many of these people in ISKCON leadership position; such leaders having turned ISKCON into a cult at this point, people’s consciousness focused on various leaders who are not representing Krsna and Krsna’s desires properly.
Since you mentioned their names, may I add in that Malati and Radhanath are also guilty…
What you’re seeing as the present-day “Hare Krsna” (ISKCON) movement, is very different from what Srila Prabhupada intended, Srila Prabhupada simply wanting to give Krsna consciousness to all, regardless of who they were, or how much money they had/didn’t have. Now the various individuals in positions of ISKCON leadership – even going down to some of the devotees who are the “low wo/man on the totem pole” – are more concerned with what they can get from someone, as opposed to giving out genuine Krsna consciousness.
At the same time, despite these factors, if someone truly wants to develop Krsna consciousness, Krsna will make all the necessary arrangements for that person.
I pray you are well.
With love,
Your servant,
B. Radha-Govinda Swami
Hare Krsna