This is the concluding part of a 4 part series on my experiences with ISKCON.
Please read introduction,section 2 & section 3 by following the links.
So all of this is fine. However the association with ISKCON comes with a price.The devotees have sold their soul for the 'perfect' life they are living. Most of these bhaktas marry and lead a outwardly normal life. But in a way, they live a life of deceit. They never tell their parents , until its too late , that they are having a completely different set of believes and practices.The children of these bhaktas are brought up in a closed environment where they are taught that everything in the outside world is evil and they are only messengers of God.
The opinion of the bhaktas on most things are narrow. They discredit most scientific theories because they are not a source of happiness. Although discussion within the group are encouraged ,before joining they are made to accept a few assumptions.
One - That Krishna is supreme lord. He passed his knowledge to his disciples and everything they believe had been handed down by lord himself through a disciplic succession. This series of disciples involve historical and mythological figures and the link between the two is something which cannot be questioned .
Two- the only way to become god conscious is to be a part of this line of disciples. (Nothing else will do.)So, only by coming into contact with this succession can one achieve moksha.
So , basically any scientific theory -such as Big bang, theory of evolution etc which contradicts anything in the knowledge bank is simply NOT accepted. Any discussion which happens is done within the space where the above are true.
Proof for the above is simple- faith.So, anything is accepted- lying , stealing,begging,even murder-provided the purpose of is to impress the lord.
Another rule ,which is an offshoot of the above is that the Guru cannot be questioned. The analogy given is usually that of a parent and child. Just like a child cannot find its path in life without the guidance of parents, a raw devotee cannot find his path in the spiritual world without the guru. And this rule holds good for ever. Anyone senior to you HAS to be obeyed and likewise-anyone junior to you will not question you. If the guru makes a statement like-'democracy is for fools'- the mind has to search for examples which justify this . To even think of contradicting the opinion is considered a major sin.
But perhaps the greatest grudge which I have is of the false sense of humility which they have. No doubt they have a humble lifestyle- simple food, clothes, etc. But early in their initiation, the fact that -being a part of ISKCON philosophy makes them special, is deeply drilled in to their minds. The need to be superior to the normal populace is one of the strong driving forces which makes them join the movement in the first place. They cannot realize that actually want superior societal status-when they initially join the movement.
The lectures of the Guru in ISKCON during the initiating is full of anecdotal stories . Its not hard to convince anyone that we are all headed towards certain doom.Anyway, during the initiation a key question which comes up is this-"what makes your path different than other religions?". A very standard question asked by almost all targets. The answer is this-"Christianity and Islam are also path to God. No doubt. But they are inferior.
The following would be said to you as a part of the answer to the above questin-"In Bible, there is a line which says -Do not kill . Its not for you and me, because we are not people who do such things. Its for lower levels of human birth. Islam too is very similar. There is a quotation which says do not sleep with your friends wife. If you are someone who thinks along those lines-then Islam is for you. We are all born,based on our activities in previous birth, at a level.Islam is for people in lower levels, Christianity for next level, and vedas are only for people who are of highest calibre and if you can accept this YOU belong to the best." The last sentence is key. The target is made to believe that accepting the principles makes him superior . For someone who trusts the speaker, not accepting the above does not mean the theory is false-It means that he is dumb and that path is never taken.
Its only by telling the targets that they are better off than any religion that they are convinced that this is the right path. How is is possible that a path to spiritual awareness begins with belittling the principles of other religions?
I dont think anything here would offend any ISKCON devotee. They would agree that everything here,but for my opinions are true. They would also add that they used to think in similar lines when they were new to the organization,but after understanding the pure intentions of the Krishna Bhaktas they have supressed such thoughts successfully.
As a finishing thought I can share another analogy commonly shared by the devotees. The bhaktas are not allowed to read anti-ISKCON material online, talk to people who are experts in other religions or even have independent ideas. Yet, they refer to people living in the material world as frog in a well who thinks that the well is the world(Koopa-mandooka). Its a pity that their arrogance and narrow thought makes them think that they are the last hope of mankind in aspects of humility and intelligence.& as manju once put it- Weird people:weird world.
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Going ISKCON 3:The Devotee
This is a 4 part series on my experience with ISKCON as a 'junior' devotee.
Please read the introduction and section 2 ,by following the respective links.
Its crucial to understand the thinking and lifestyle of any devotee to understand my point of view.
The devotee i describe are 'recruited' from colleges . Their age group can be between 18-25 . After its decided that the student in question wants to be a devotee of Krishna for life they usually move into a separate accommodation with like minded people. Once this happens the life of the student ceases to be anything but normal and this is what I intend to explain.
The core of the existence of a devotee is in the chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra. They chant it a astounding 1728 times in the morning and evening ,once they become serious devotees. One might expect the students to lose interest in academics with such rigorous practices-but since most of the students recruited are of above average intelligence - their academic performance goes up.
Two things can be attributed to this phenomena-
A superior goal in life and a clear mind.
Prayer to God is a form of meditation and this clears the mind of all distractions. Once clear ,the mind functions like a arrow programmed to hit bulls eye. Every failure is taken up positively as a result of past sins and the focus is only on being a better devotee.
The superior Goal is the single minded objective of any ISKCON devotee- making the supreme lord happy. Whether its academics ,sleeping, interacting with others or even cooking- the purpose is crystal clear. The chanting reinforces the basic purpose of all these activities and helps to constantly be focused( Emphasis is on the word constantly-its 24*7).
Its a standard practise to train the bhaktas to do things they might normally find ridiculous. The bhaktas apparently dance to the tune of Krishna bhajans as a group. A guru,usually a person of around 40 -50 years old dances with them and encouraging them to let go of their shyness and enjoy the moment . The dancing is also considered to be a form of worship of the great lord.[Aside: Dancing to experience religious awakening is one of the central theme of this book]
They usually wake up at 4 in the morning and after taking bath they start chanting. It usually end at around 6 when they do the assigned duties like cooking . Sometimes they listen to some pre-recorded lectures of the Guru. After which they go to work/college .
At work they are seldom seen doing anything other than the job assigned to them . They don't drink coffee, gossip or check mails needlessly. They go about their work with great efficiency and never work extra time. They behave normally with colleagues, but don't involve with non -work based discussions. They come home at 5 ,pray,eat and go to bed at around 10.
If you are a normal person reading this -the key difference between you and the devotee is this- the devotee is completely aware of every minute which is passing and he is focused on utilizing each minute in productive work. Having been with a similar mindset-its amazing how much of the time we normal guys end up not doing anything productive.
To be Concluded....
Please read the introduction and section 2 ,by following the respective links.
Its crucial to understand the thinking and lifestyle of any devotee to understand my point of view.
The devotee i describe are 'recruited' from colleges . Their age group can be between 18-25 . After its decided that the student in question wants to be a devotee of Krishna for life they usually move into a separate accommodation with like minded people. Once this happens the life of the student ceases to be anything but normal and this is what I intend to explain.
The core of the existence of a devotee is in the chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra. They chant it a astounding 1728 times in the morning and evening ,once they become serious devotees. One might expect the students to lose interest in academics with such rigorous practices-but since most of the students recruited are of above average intelligence - their academic performance goes up.
Two things can be attributed to this phenomena-
A superior goal in life and a clear mind.
Prayer to God is a form of meditation and this clears the mind of all distractions. Once clear ,the mind functions like a arrow programmed to hit bulls eye. Every failure is taken up positively as a result of past sins and the focus is only on being a better devotee.
The superior Goal is the single minded objective of any ISKCON devotee- making the supreme lord happy. Whether its academics ,sleeping, interacting with others or even cooking- the purpose is crystal clear. The chanting reinforces the basic purpose of all these activities and helps to constantly be focused( Emphasis is on the word constantly-its 24*7).
Its a standard practise to train the bhaktas to do things they might normally find ridiculous. The bhaktas apparently dance to the tune of Krishna bhajans as a group. A guru,usually a person of around 40 -50 years old dances with them and encouraging them to let go of their shyness and enjoy the moment . The dancing is also considered to be a form of worship of the great lord.[Aside: Dancing to experience religious awakening is one of the central theme of this book]
They usually wake up at 4 in the morning and after taking bath they start chanting. It usually end at around 6 when they do the assigned duties like cooking . Sometimes they listen to some pre-recorded lectures of the Guru. After which they go to work/college .
At work they are seldom seen doing anything other than the job assigned to them . They don't drink coffee, gossip or check mails needlessly. They go about their work with great efficiency and never work extra time. They behave normally with colleagues, but don't involve with non -work based discussions. They come home at 5 ,pray,eat and go to bed at around 10.
If you are a normal person reading this -the key difference between you and the devotee is this- the devotee is completely aware of every minute which is passing and he is focused on utilizing each minute in productive work. Having been with a similar mindset-its amazing how much of the time we normal guys end up not doing anything productive.
To be Concluded....
Going ISKCON 2: The Target
This is the section 2 of 4 on the workings of ISKCON .
Please read the introduction to the series here.
The first few months of a desi student in USA is something which is fairly stressful. Even for those who come from hostels, this time is quite frustrating . Tough courses,distracting presence of unlimited TV, little money to spend ,no relaxation, lack of travel options , a completely new set of people to hang out with,and worst of all-the responsibilities of the kitchen. And here is where the Krishna bhaktas of ISKCON come in. The first contact is made and the bhaktas go out of their way to help the newly arrived desis settle down. Normally, graduate students help the new students with a place to live for a week, and some food to share- but ISKCON people go much beyond that.
Over a course of the next few months the devotees-in the guise of graduate students- go about helping the freshers in a variety of ways. They provide delicious food once a week, are approachable any time of the day, help the students with academics and such. They are seen on-campus from exactly 8-5. A bunch of these seemingly very dedicated students live together and have a very focused and helpful way of life.
This phase is very important . Even if most students do not become permanent devotees, their resistance could prove disastrous for the overall strategy of ISKCON. (which is described in the paras below.). Once a favorable impression is setup they move in slowly for the kill. They start talking from their own experiences of how directionless and desperate they were in life- and look at them now- they are contended with simple things, focused in life, have only good habits and thoughts etc etc..
They avoid making any reference to anything abnormal in their lives .
The recruitment strategy differs for different sets of people. Books have been written on how to brainwash people in different countries. For example:In turkey , where the local government is hostile to religious propaganda- the activities have to carried out with great risks. Devotees are first told to gain the trust of their associates there-by forming a strong bond of friendship. Once this is established only then should they try to infuse religious propaganda in the discussion. It usually starts with how Islam/Christianity is similar to Hinduism (in terms of practices and culture), how chanting is an inherent form of all religions etc.. Next the target is asked to chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra , along with their usual religious practices. Obviously they are asked to be secretive because devotees claim that people in a lower level of understanding will mistake it for brainwashing and will do something harmful.
Now, there are books, which detail how to go about doing the above. It details every step,every possible argument posed by the target. Its the naive who fall for such sweet talk and it is their dependents who suffer the most because of such activities.
Having established a good raport with the new students the bhaktas encourage them to intensify the practice of religion,along with their academics. This appeals to most students , as all of the problems noted earlier on is easily solved living in such a lifestyle.Usually at this stage the devotee maintains normal contact with his parents and but makes no mention of the regular interaction he is having with ISKCON devotees. At some point of time ,once the complete trust of the target is gained, he is asked to move in with the devotees and the brainwashing in complete.
The next section deals with the lifestyle of the devotees.
Please read the introduction to the series here.
The first few months of a desi student in USA is something which is fairly stressful. Even for those who come from hostels, this time is quite frustrating . Tough courses,distracting presence of unlimited TV, little money to spend ,no relaxation, lack of travel options , a completely new set of people to hang out with,and worst of all-the responsibilities of the kitchen. And here is where the Krishna bhaktas of ISKCON come in. The first contact is made and the bhaktas go out of their way to help the newly arrived desis settle down. Normally, graduate students help the new students with a place to live for a week, and some food to share- but ISKCON people go much beyond that.
Over a course of the next few months the devotees-in the guise of graduate students- go about helping the freshers in a variety of ways. They provide delicious food once a week, are approachable any time of the day, help the students with academics and such. They are seen on-campus from exactly 8-5. A bunch of these seemingly very dedicated students live together and have a very focused and helpful way of life.
This phase is very important . Even if most students do not become permanent devotees, their resistance could prove disastrous for the overall strategy of ISKCON. (which is described in the paras below.). Once a favorable impression is setup they move in slowly for the kill. They start talking from their own experiences of how directionless and desperate they were in life- and look at them now- they are contended with simple things, focused in life, have only good habits and thoughts etc etc..
They avoid making any reference to anything abnormal in their lives .
The recruitment strategy differs for different sets of people. Books have been written on how to brainwash people in different countries. For example:In turkey , where the local government is hostile to religious propaganda- the activities have to carried out with great risks. Devotees are first told to gain the trust of their associates there-by forming a strong bond of friendship. Once this is established only then should they try to infuse religious propaganda in the discussion. It usually starts with how Islam/Christianity is similar to Hinduism (in terms of practices and culture), how chanting is an inherent form of all religions etc.. Next the target is asked to chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra , along with their usual religious practices. Obviously they are asked to be secretive because devotees claim that people in a lower level of understanding will mistake it for brainwashing and will do something harmful.
Now, there are books, which detail how to go about doing the above. It details every step,every possible argument posed by the target. Its the naive who fall for such sweet talk and it is their dependents who suffer the most because of such activities.
Having established a good raport with the new students the bhaktas encourage them to intensify the practice of religion,along with their academics. This appeals to most students , as all of the problems noted earlier on is easily solved living in such a lifestyle.Usually at this stage the devotee maintains normal contact with his parents and but makes no mention of the regular interaction he is having with ISKCON devotees. At some point of time ,once the complete trust of the target is gained, he is asked to move in with the devotees and the brainwashing in complete.
The next section deals with the lifestyle of the devotees.
Going ISKCON
Its been a few months since I started blogging . I suppose this would be the first post which I don't think I would have ever written , had my blog not been anonymous. Its got to do with the events which unfolded in the first few months in the USA. My association with ISKCON is something that I have not spoken much about to anyone. The intensity with which I was involved with the movement is something which is known to very few people,most of them part of ISKCON itself. It's been a few years now since I stopped associating myself with those people. Its hard for me to tell what exactly I feel when I think about those days-amusing,frustrating,a gut-wrenching disgust- I don't know . Along with what happened to me, I write about the modus operandi operated by ISKCON in their 'recruitment strategy'.
There are always 2 parties involved. The devotee/bhakta whose goal is to brainwash and the Target whose naivety is exploited to convert him to a devotee. The next section will focus on the target, in my case a typical desi grad student in the US,although this can be anyone. The thrid shall detail on the lifestyle of the devotee. Most of this will be pure facts -this will not offend any devotee. In the last section I shall justify why I am against all this- in spite of the many positive aspects espoused by the movement.
Section 2: The Target
Section 3:The devotee
Section 4:The Grudge
My longest and most sincere effort at blogging.
There are always 2 parties involved. The devotee/bhakta whose goal is to brainwash and the Target whose naivety is exploited to convert him to a devotee. The next section will focus on the target, in my case a typical desi grad student in the US,although this can be anyone. The thrid shall detail on the lifestyle of the devotee. Most of this will be pure facts -this will not offend any devotee. In the last section I shall justify why I am against all this- in spite of the many positive aspects espoused by the movement.
Section 2: The Target
Section 3:The devotee
Section 4:The Grudge
My longest and most sincere effort at blogging.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Whats wrong with you people!!!
This a picture a random fellow has put up on his Orkut profile. The picture caption is 'At subway'.There are a few more pics of him at McDonalds and other urban hangouts.Clearly this fellow has some issues. He is wearing a PEPE Jeans shirt , eating at subway and worst of all , thinks that its 'cool' enough to be posted on to his Orkut album.
He has paid an amount almost equal to the minimum stipulated daily wage in India is(Rs.72), for a piece of Bun and uncooked vegetables!The words PEPE on his shirt makes him feel better(I don't understand branded stuff).Someday I hope that we Indians ,as a society,stop wearing branded stuff and eating chain food and drive these companies to bankruptcy.God.. this is my second request to you!!!
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