<!--QuoteBegin-Hyagriva+May 23 2005, 09:06 PM-->QUOTE(Hyagriva @ May 23 2005, 09:06 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin--> If Jehovah means Supreme God, it can only mean Narayana and not otherwise. There can be no other Supreme God. Ditto with Allah. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So ISKCON does believe Buddha, Allah, and Jejovah/Christ are equivalent to Narayana or Krishna? Does it also endorse that the Bible (like the mention of Aquarian Gospel) are also "True" texts that a "Bhaktha" should follow?
As I see it, Iskcon endorses and gives validity to Bible/Qoran and places them at a much higher level and closer to it's Idealogies. While on the one hand bashing Buddhism, it says Buddha is the same as Krishna (perhaps the name and not the personality is meant here.)
Am I right in assuming that Buddha mentioned by Prabhupada means "Enlightened One" and not Siddhartha Gautama? I only wish they are more explicit on their stand. On the one hand they bash Hindus, and on the other hand bend over backwards to please Islam/Christianity. So, is Iskcon all inclusive or just plain exclusive?
Here is the attitude we are currently discussing:
An excerpt from "Who is a Hindu", by Koenraad Elst.
6.7. Are travelling gurus Hindus?
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) generally denies that it is Hindu, in spite of practising purely Hindu rituals and a purely Hindu lifestyle in the service of a purely Hindu god.44 That this policy is guided by petty calculations of self-interest is clear from the cases where ISKCON exceptionally does claim to be Hindu, viz. when collecting money from Hindus.
A former ISKCON member explains: that ISKCON is non-Hindu âis clearly evident in the writings and lectures of Srila Prabhupada, ISKCONâs founder, as well as in the day-to-day preaching statements of its members and current-day leaders. What is especially troubling is that ISKCON periodically does claim to be a Hindu organization. Unfortunately, these claims on the part of ISKCON occur when, and only when, it serves the legal and financial interests of the sect. Thousands of unsuspecting Indian Hindus have been persuaded to contribute funds to the group with the reassurance that they were supporting âHinduismâ, âHinduâ temples and the printing of âHinduâ books.â45
But these peculiar elements of separatism in this sect or that can only occur because of the general background of the depreciation of Hindu identity. In Christianity and Islam, only the reverse case exists: sects claiming to be Christian (Mormons) or Muslim (Ahmadiyas, Alevites) but being denied that label by the orthodox. The day Hinduism gets respected again, these sects will probably reaffirm their Hindu identity, and the RK Mission will preface its publications with Vivekanandaâs appeal: âSay with pride, We are Hindus!â <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So ISKCON does believe Buddha, Allah, and Jejovah/Christ are equivalent to Narayana or Krishna? Does it also endorse that the Bible (like the mention of Aquarian Gospel) are also "True" texts that a "Bhaktha" should follow?
As I see it, Iskcon endorses and gives validity to Bible/Qoran and places them at a much higher level and closer to it's Idealogies. While on the one hand bashing Buddhism, it says Buddha is the same as Krishna (perhaps the name and not the personality is meant here.)
Am I right in assuming that Buddha mentioned by Prabhupada means "Enlightened One" and not Siddhartha Gautama? I only wish they are more explicit on their stand. On the one hand they bash Hindus, and on the other hand bend over backwards to please Islam/Christianity. So, is Iskcon all inclusive or just plain exclusive?
Here is the attitude we are currently discussing:
An excerpt from "Who is a Hindu", by Koenraad Elst.
6.7. Are travelling gurus Hindus?
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) generally denies that it is Hindu, in spite of practising purely Hindu rituals and a purely Hindu lifestyle in the service of a purely Hindu god.44 That this policy is guided by petty calculations of self-interest is clear from the cases where ISKCON exceptionally does claim to be Hindu, viz. when collecting money from Hindus.
A former ISKCON member explains: that ISKCON is non-Hindu âis clearly evident in the writings and lectures of Srila Prabhupada, ISKCONâs founder, as well as in the day-to-day preaching statements of its members and current-day leaders. What is especially troubling is that ISKCON periodically does claim to be a Hindu organization. Unfortunately, these claims on the part of ISKCON occur when, and only when, it serves the legal and financial interests of the sect. Thousands of unsuspecting Indian Hindus have been persuaded to contribute funds to the group with the reassurance that they were supporting âHinduismâ, âHinduâ temples and the printing of âHinduâ books.â45
But these peculiar elements of separatism in this sect or that can only occur because of the general background of the depreciation of Hindu identity. In Christianity and Islam, only the reverse case exists: sects claiming to be Christian (Mormons) or Muslim (Ahmadiyas, Alevites) but being denied that label by the orthodox. The day Hinduism gets respected again, these sects will probably reaffirm their Hindu identity, and the RK Mission will preface its publications with Vivekanandaâs appeal: âSay with pride, We are Hindus!â <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->