FAX MESSAGE

TO: Mr. Boris Yeltsin, The Kremlin, Moscow

FAX:   7.095.206.0766

FROM: Dr. Gavin Flood 
Theology and Religious Studies Department,
University of Wales,
Lampeter SA48 7ED
FAX:	(01570) 423641

DATE: 3-2-95

NO. OF PAGES: 2

Dear President,

Re: The Hare Krishna Movement

I would like to write concerning the Moscow City Duma declaring the 
Hare Krishna movement or the International Society for Krishna 
Consciousness (ISKCON) to be a 'destructive sect'. Placing the Hare 
Krishna movement in this category is inappropriate for the following 
reasons.

(1) The Hare Krishna movement which was brought over to the west by 
a learned Indian religious teacher, Srila Prabhupada, has its roots 
in Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. Hinduism. the religion 
of most Indians, is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) in the 
world. Within Hinduism there are two major traditions focused, on 
the one hand, on the worship of Shiva, and on the other on the 
worship of Vishnu or Krishna. The religion focused on Shiva is 
called Shaivism, while the religion focused on Vishnu - Krishna is 
called Vaishnavism. ISKCON is a development in the west of 
Vaishnavism. The particular branch which ISKCON is related to is 
Bengal Vaishnavism, which traces its immediate development to the 
highly revered Indian saint Caitanya (1486-1533). So ISKCON is part 
of Bengal Vaishnavism and beyond that, part of the greater Hindu 
tradition.

(2) Although the clothing and practices of ISKCON devotees might 
appear strange at first to western eyes, this is mainly a cultural 
difference. In India the clothing and religious practices of the 
Hare Krishna devotees are quite 'normal'.

(3) The practices of ISKCON are in complete conformity with 
Hinduism. ISKCON does not support illegal or immoral activities. 
Devotees lead highly moral lives, are vegetarians, and are against 
the taking of drugs and drink. Their religious practices involve 
presenting offerings to God or Krishna and repeating the name of God 
or Krishna in order to receive God's grace. They believe that in 
repeating God's name they will come into contact with him through 
his grace. The Hare Krishna devotee's life is seen by him/her as one 
of service to God or Krishna. These practices are not harmful to 
mental or physical health.

(4) There are overlaps between Christianity and ISKCON. Both 
traditions are essentially theistic; both maintain that human beings 
should live a highly moral life of service; and both believe that 
the human condition can be redeemed with effort and God's grace.

(5) Of great importance to democratic traditions developing in the 
west is tolerance of other people's beliefs and ways, even if they 
differ significantly from our own. Placing ISKCON on a list of 
'destructive cults' is discrimination against Hinduism, a major 
world religion. Indeed other Hindu groups and communities in Russia 
might suffer as a result of the proposed legislation limiting the 
activity of ISKCON.

Any objective investigation of ISKCON will bare out the above 
points. In short, ISKCON is not a 'destructive cult'. The movement 
is made up, on the whole, of sincere people and is part of a greater 
Hindu tradition. There have been problems in past after the death of 
Srila Prabhupada, but the movement has matured through these 
troubles and is now probably less corrupt than some forms of 
Christianity.

I would suggest, therefore, that ISKCON should not be regarded as a 
destructive cult and that legal and human rights issues should be 
dealt with either by existing legislation, or by new legislation 
which is applicable to all groups and individuals, not only to some 
religious groups.

Thank you for your time and attention in this matter.

Yours sincerely.

Gavin Flood
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