My take on ISKCON. Yes, I have been to their temple in the city where I live, for over 23 years. I believe I may be on their list of donors, though I specifically declined to be called a "member". One does not have to be a "member" to pray.
ISKCON set up roots in the most virulently bigoted parts of the world, at a time when no other Hindu temples existed in those parts (e.g., where i live). They collected money by preaching a very simple faith. In the process, they suffered a tremendous amount of bullying and snickering - and they took it all and survived. No way could I have done what they did.
They did not set up temples just for rich desis to go buy credits towards "moksha" - where I live, the "temple" is simply a converted old house that they slowly renovated, room by room, as their finances slowly improved. Their temples were genuinely places where the poorest of the poor could come and be fed, no questions asked about faith. They set up "explanations" and "texts" that were tailored to their local audience - NOT a very "intellectual" or snooty clientele, but very ordinary people, who would come in off the street seeking solace. If they "converted", it was simply by offering an alternative system of belief.
I did note with concern the issues about the child molestation lawsuit etc. I wondered if they would survive that - but like all other problems they have faced, they seem to have come through that.
Incidentally, they did once ask me for special assistance to renovate the "temple" house, but never to help pay off the lawsuit judgement.
Over the years, where I live and work, I have heard a heck of a lot negative about them - and very little positive except for what we have seen with our own eyes, and reasoned with our own brains - but my informed judgement is that this is the same cra* that the locals spout about all forms of faith other than their ownGoddamned narrow bigotry. The child-molesters, meanwhile, as recent news has proved beyond doubt, are far more secure and dominant in the established Churches of the majority religion here, so they can take their bigotry and stick it where they stick u-no-what, as far as I am concerned.
In reading the history of the persecution of the Mormons, the Jews, and even the Catholics in the US, I can see where 99% of that negative propaganda comes from. Nothing new there. I still get plenty of "literature" from the majority "Church" here, seeking to save my soul and telling me how former Hindus have saved themselves from all those reptiles and devils etc. and Seen Da Light etc.
In recent years, the more fancy forms of Hinduism have established themselves where I live. Fine temples with prices set for "moksha" of various kinds, and grand support from rich desis. A fine re-creation of much of the temple culture of India, including all the caste hangups and micro-divisions.
Bottom line: we still go to pray at, and support, the ISCKON temple. We've been to the other temple(s), to know what they are, but that's it. No hurry to go back there.
As for the fine details of what the ISKCON texts say, the precise relevance of their rituals and their association with micro-divisions of Indian hangups, etc., I don't give a damn. Being Hindu, I don't need all those micro-classiciations, and I don't need to be told what to believe, so I just tune out what I don't agree with, and let them believe what they want to believe. The fact remains that their temple is a place of peace and meditation, and they are genuine, simple believers. They still feed the poorest and neediest, regardless of loyalty agreements, which is a heck of a lot more than I can say about the fine recent temples and other Yindoo organizations.
People should be a little less judgemental about the pioneers who had to go to extreme difficulties to survive in hostile places in hostile times, and gradually induce lessons in tolerance. They should also be a little less quick to put down the pioneers and blindly believe the crap put out by bigots.
Cheers
ISKCON set up roots in the most virulently bigoted parts of the world, at a time when no other Hindu temples existed in those parts (e.g., where i live). They collected money by preaching a very simple faith. In the process, they suffered a tremendous amount of bullying and snickering - and they took it all and survived. No way could I have done what they did.
They did not set up temples just for rich desis to go buy credits towards "moksha" - where I live, the "temple" is simply a converted old house that they slowly renovated, room by room, as their finances slowly improved. Their temples were genuinely places where the poorest of the poor could come and be fed, no questions asked about faith. They set up "explanations" and "texts" that were tailored to their local audience - NOT a very "intellectual" or snooty clientele, but very ordinary people, who would come in off the street seeking solace. If they "converted", it was simply by offering an alternative system of belief.
I did note with concern the issues about the child molestation lawsuit etc. I wondered if they would survive that - but like all other problems they have faced, they seem to have come through that.
Incidentally, they did once ask me for special assistance to renovate the "temple" house, but never to help pay off the lawsuit judgement.
Over the years, where I live and work, I have heard a heck of a lot negative about them - and very little positive except for what we have seen with our own eyes, and reasoned with our own brains - but my informed judgement is that this is the same cra* that the locals spout about all forms of faith other than their ownGoddamned narrow bigotry. The child-molesters, meanwhile, as recent news has proved beyond doubt, are far more secure and dominant in the established Churches of the majority religion here, so they can take their bigotry and stick it where they stick u-no-what, as far as I am concerned.
In reading the history of the persecution of the Mormons, the Jews, and even the Catholics in the US, I can see where 99% of that negative propaganda comes from. Nothing new there. I still get plenty of "literature" from the majority "Church" here, seeking to save my soul and telling me how former Hindus have saved themselves from all those reptiles and devils etc. and Seen Da Light etc.
In recent years, the more fancy forms of Hinduism have established themselves where I live. Fine temples with prices set for "moksha" of various kinds, and grand support from rich desis. A fine re-creation of much of the temple culture of India, including all the caste hangups and micro-divisions.
Bottom line: we still go to pray at, and support, the ISCKON temple. We've been to the other temple(s), to know what they are, but that's it. No hurry to go back there.
As for the fine details of what the ISKCON texts say, the precise relevance of their rituals and their association with micro-divisions of Indian hangups, etc., I don't give a damn. Being Hindu, I don't need all those micro-classiciations, and I don't need to be told what to believe, so I just tune out what I don't agree with, and let them believe what they want to believe. The fact remains that their temple is a place of peace and meditation, and they are genuine, simple believers. They still feed the poorest and neediest, regardless of loyalty agreements, which is a heck of a lot more than I can say about the fine recent temples and other Yindoo organizations.
People should be a little less judgemental about the pioneers who had to go to extreme difficulties to survive in hostile places in hostile times, and gradually induce lessons in tolerance. They should also be a little less quick to put down the pioneers and blindly believe the crap put out by bigots.
Cheers