Undergraduate Research Proposal-- PLEASE LOOK
Thu, 04/22/2010 - 19:41  jasperstudent

Hello,
My name is Astrid Cook-Dail and I am currently an undergraduate student at Manhattan College. This semester, I am taking a seminar course on Online Religions and Religion Online. For my final research paper in this class, I have chosen to study the relationship between ISKCON and the Internet. Since my professor has required me to interview members of the faith I am studying, I would like to ask you to take some time to fill out the questions below. Your response would provide invaluable information for my paper, so thank you in advance. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me at acook-dail.student@manhattan.edu. Once you have filled out the questions, you may e-mail your responses to me at acook-dail.student@manhattan.edu

Thank you,
Astrid Cook-Dail

QUESTIONS:
1) Do you use the internet to practice your faith?

2) How does the internet change the way you practice your faith?

3) Do you think the internet has fundamentally changed your faith?

If yes, how? If no, why not?

4) How does this faith's founding principles apply to ISKCON's presence on the internet?

5) Why do you use this virtual community to connect with others?

Also, if this is the wrong forum to post this in, please redirect me to someone I can interview. Thank you.


Letter PAMHO:19509777 (69 lines)
From:      (Bhakta) Jan Mares (NE-BBT Czech)
Date:      23-Apr-10 08:36 (10:36 +0200)
To:        acook-dail.student@manhattan.edu  (sent: 23-Apr-10 08:38)
Subject:   quest.
------------------------------------------------------------
Hare Krishna Astrid,

> Since my professor has required me to interview members of the faith I am
studying, I would like to ask you to take some time to fill out the
questions below.

Aren't you supposed to meet the members IRL? You can visit our NY temples
(see directory.krishna.com) and talk to them.

> 1) Do you use the internet to practice your faith?

yes

> 2) How does the internet change the way you practice your faith?

Significantly. It makes communication faster, easier and cheaper. I can
download/listed/watch lots of interesting content, learn and talk in forums,
run a popular website, etc.

> 3) Do you think the internet has fundamentally changed your faith?

It helped me to find information which deepens it.

> 4) How does this faith's founding principles apply to ISKCON's presence on
the internet?

Here're the seven purposes of ISKCON:

1. To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and
to educate all peoples in the techniques of
spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to
achieve real unity and peace in the world.
2. To propagate a consciousness of Krishna, as it is revealed in the
Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.
3. To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer
to Krishna, the prime entity, thus to develop the
idea within the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is a part and
parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna).
4. To teach and encourage the sankirtan movement, congregational chanting of
the holy name of God as revealed in the
teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
5. To erect for the members and for society at large, a holy place of
transcendental pastimes, dedicated to the personality
of Krishna.
6. To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a
simpler and more natural way of life.
7. With a view towards achieving aforementioned Purposes, to publish and
distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other
writings.

It's clear that internet helps in fulfilling all of them.

> 5) Why do you use this virtual community to connect with others?

Yes but with close friends I prefer emails and sms.

Hope this helps. All the best. Hare Krsna
Your servant, bh. Jan

http://www.vrindavan-dham.com
http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz

dvaitaM bandhAya mokSAt prAk prApte bodhe manISayA
bhaktyarthaM kalpitam dvaitaM advaitAd api sundaram

"Duality is bondage before moksa and wisdom after realization. The duality
accepted for the purpose of bhakti is sweeter than even non-duality." (from
mangalacarana to Advaitasiddhi sara sangraha by Madhusudana Sarasvati,
former advaitin)
(Text PAMHO:19509777) --------------------------------------
