WARWICK RELIGIONS AND EDUCATION RESEARCH UNIT

Director:

Dr Robert Jackson

UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK

COVENTRY CV4 7AL U.K

TELEPHONE 01203 523523

DIRECT LINE: 01203 523190

FACSIMILE: 01203 524110

E-mail aerao@SNOW.csv.warwick.ac.uk

INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION

Mr Boris Yeltsin The Kremlin Moscow

DIRECTOR - Professor John Tomlinson

February 7th 1995

Dear Mr Yeltsin

I am one of countless people outside Russia who has welcomed the 
possibility of democratic institutions and religious freedom 
becoming established in Russia. I am also aware of the fears and 
uncertainties that beset this process.

As a scholar studying contemporary religions (including both 
Orthodox Christianity and the Hare Krishna Movement (ISKCON) I am 
particularly disturbed to hear that the Moscow city Duma has 
declared the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to be a 
destructive sect. I believe that the State Parliament is currently 
considering a new law that would outlaw this movement.

I find this especially sad at a time when antidotes are urgently 
needed to some of the morally undesirable influences to which Russia 
is now open. From personal experience and academic study I can 
assure you that followers of ISKCON try to live up to extremely high 
ethical standards. These exclude altogether the consumption of 
alcohol (a great problem, causing ill health and crime in many 
western countries, as you know) and the use of drugs. Devotees are 
also expected to maintain a high level of sexual morality, but this 
certainly does not result in 'mental castration'.

In Britain, we benefit from a number of religious communities and 
traditions, including - increasingly - Russian and Greek Orthodoxy. 
In many ways members of different faiths here cooperate in common 
concern at the erosion of spiritual and moral values in what can 
seem a superficial materialist society. There is much that people of 
different faiths can share with each other (e.g. a concern  for 
social work) as well as learn from each other (e.g. ISKCON prepare 
wonderful vegetarian food!)

Although ISKCON may be a new phenomenon in Russia, it is not new in 
Britain. The children of the first generation of devotees here are 
now adults. Its origins in India are in the centuries-old Vaishnava 
strand of the Hindu faith. It is certainly inaccurate to regard 
ISKCON as a dangerous new movement.

I will gladly provide information from my study of young Hindus 
including those influenced by this movement if that would be helpful.

With good wishes

Yours sincerely



Eleanor Nesbitt Senior Research Fellow Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit University of Warwick

cc. Mr Ivan Ribkin Anne Dooney Ram Krishan 
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