
ISKCON: The Enemies Within

Individual Response
Institutional Response
Public (External Response)

"Transcend History"

SB--How Maharaja Pariksit dealt with the Age of Kali

Support of gov't required for religion to have real influence upon
society.

Right now gov't fosters economic development.  But gov't should foster
self realization.

Worrisome when you meet fanatical devotees (esp. when others say, "he's
good devotee").  Fanaticism - a compensation for lack of faith.

Opportunity is there in ISKCON for devotees to use power for their own
ends.

Prabhupada didn't want us to leave the world to worldly people.  What
will happen to power?  It will be used by diabolical people.

ISKCON's political party:  The `In God We Trust' Party for Purified
Leaders. Newspaper: `New World Harmonist'.  Tax exempt status of ISKCON
threatened, therefore it was stopped.

Balavanta--SP answered, "Argumentum ad Vaculum".  KC means war for
Krsna. Hare Krsna bang bang.  Vaculum means stick, or gun.

SP indicated that when KC becomes powerful, there will be polarization
over use of wealth.

Ravindra Svarupa's question: "How can we be sure that we won't become
demons?"
SP: "Chant 16 rounds a day and follow the 4 regulative principles."
RS: "That's enough?"
SP: "That's enough."

If ISKCON leader goes off, it means he was not doing that.

Incredible responsibility faces ISKCON; we must be very very pure to
fulfill this responsibility.

Bali Mardan, sannyasi, BBT trustee in NY and later TP.  Philly devotees
began to feel unwelcome.  Bali Mardan and "Toyota" scandal.  For
preaching, he would give up sannyasa, "renounce renunciation."  Cover
story was that it was under SP's order.  Not true.  SK devotees from NY
started lying to Phillie devotees, and of course lying to karmis.  Bali
Mardan as the only one who knows what SP wants.  People thrown out of NY
temple.  Gopal Krsna came down to Philly telling that something was very
wrong.  BM's wife told ladies that BM is a reincarnation of Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta.  SP came to New York.  He stayed only one day.  He took
BBT money from BM (apparently had to come personally).  No
Vyasasana--dry cleaners.  SP said in class there were demons in HK
movement, infiltrated to destroy ISKCON from within.  (Navadwip and wife
blamed).  Daivi Shakti spoke to SP, when she returned, a revolution. SP
said "You never surrender your intelligence.  One must always
discriminate between Krsna and maya".  But SP praised NY devotees also,
for keeping things going.

SP was always kind to BM.

Good management does not necessarily mean KC (Mussolini).

The "enemies within" are lust, greed and anger.

Nrsingha to protect us from enemies from within and from without.

SP had no choice but to put neophyte devotees in high positions.
Emergency conditions.  Devotees were dropouts.  "Business experience"
meant drug dealing.  Crime was a revolutionary act; crime of oppresed
class is moral: "Steal This Book."  SP: "Give up sympathies for hippie
movement." Few devotees went to Woodstock.  Dope dealers gave lots of
money for peacock feathers.  Attitudes like these gradually lead to big
trouble later on.

Add to this the notion that karmi laws are corrpt and don't apply to us.
Antinomeanism: "the saved are above the law."  In New Vrindavana, this
became a license to do whatever they want.  SP: "Our men should be
adored as being honest."

ISKCON's early leaders not very advanced devotees.  Biggest single
problem in ISKCON is lust.  When 3 grhastha couples opened London, it
seemed to indicate that marriage was the way for ISKCON to go.  Arranged
marriages, Western mentality--mariages broke up.  Scandals, SP washed
hands of marriage.  Then era of renunciation: brahmacari, sannyasa.
More scandals. Then later, guru scandals.

Sannyasa in ISKCON, fall instead of death translated into power, money,
influence, etc.  Careerist attitude.

Tripped up on impurities: lust, anger, greed.

How to explain the guru: he must be a disciple.  ISKCON gurus had
problems not as gurus but as disciples.  SP: "I always remained a
servant.  I never tried to become the master."

Represent means re-present.  Problems arise when we substitute and
insert in our presentation.

SP: "Highest standard of authority sets standard of morality; i.e. to
obey Krsna."  Yudhisthira (moral becomes immoral), Prahlada (praising
killer of father, immoral to moral, also gopis).

We have to be prudent: "accept what is favorable, reject what is
unfavorable."  Can't set up a state within a state--that's called crime.

Whenever we make devotees, we also make devotees.

When a problem arises with someone, it is best to go to the person in
question first.

Dealing with outside means: 1) press, 2) parents, 3) academics. The
institution is in trouble with these people if it cannot safeguard
itself from scandals, and correct scandals when they come up.

