Charity Begins at Home

Back To Prabhupada, Issue 49, Autumn 2015

ISKCON GBC-elected guru Kripamoya Dasa states that we need to take an honest look at ISKCON's past and present, and that this honest appraisal should be done by those within the institution, since ISKCON's critics can be "extremely uncharitable":

"ISKCON's critics can also be extremely uncharitable, so people seem to appreciate an honest look at our history, and our present, coming from within the institution."
(Kripamoya Dasa, ISKCON News, 16/9/15)

So in a spirit of charity, we are more than happy to simply repeat the words of those "from within the institution" -- specifically its leadership -- so that devotees can be exposed to a more "charitable" and "honest" assessment of ISKCON's history and present than that emanating from its critics:

Charity – Part 1: We did the greatest disservice to ISKCON

"Actually Prabhupada never appointed any gurus. He appointed eleven rtviks. [...] Myself and the other GBC have done the greatest disservice to this movement the last three years because we interpreted the appointment of rtviks as the appointment of gurus."
(HH Tamala Krsna Goswami, GBC and Guru, Topanga Canyon, 3/12/80)

Charity – Part 2: We continue to go in the wrong direction

"it's obvious that we are going in the wrong direction. [...] So for the time-being, let's stop giving initiation".
(HH Bhakti Charu Swami, GBC and Guru, Toronto Meeting, 20/7/03)

Charity – Part 3: We fabricate falsehoods

"Is this an outright fabrication or not? That Srila Prabhupada "personally detailed the procedure for increasing the number of initiating guru[s]" is something we can only wish. Or falsely tell the Society he did."
(HH Jayadvaita Swami, Guru, Email to the GBC sastric Advisory Committee, 13/12/03)

Charity – Part 4: Our gurus and GBC are in disrepute and spiritual decay

"And now the GBC has become very, very weak. The principal reason for this has been the fall-down of spiritual masters and the decay of spiritual authority in general. This applies to sannyasis, gurus and the GBC. [...] they are all in disrepute. The renounced order of life has come to be called the denounced order of life [...] People are very dubious about gurus -- everyone is wondering when the next one is going to fall."
(HG Ravindra Svarupa Dasa, GBC and Guru, ISKCON Communications Journal, #8.1)

Charity – Part 5: Weird cults going on in the name of ISKCON

"the only recourse for responsible members of ISKCON is to take the matter to gutter level, i.e. the internet. [...] it might at least create an awareness of deviations and warn devotees not to get sidelined into weird cults going on in the name of ISKCON."
(HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami, Guru, PAMHO Text: 7160561, 23/3/03)

Charity - Part 6: ISKCON on way to a slow death

"if current trends within ISKCON are not addressed, we are already on our way down the path to a slow death of assimilation and irrelevance."
(Badrinarayana Swami, GBC, ""Who are we and where are we going?" A fight for the soul of ISKCON", 2015)

Charity donor gives his own assessment

"However, the facts of the matter are that repeatedly, and with disastrous consequences, the combination of the spiritual role of guru in the context of a temporally powerful organisation is proving to be incompatible."
(Kripamoya Dasa, Guru, "Keeping Good Men Good", 21/9/07)

Conclusion

The next time someone criticises the IRM for being too "negative", "critical", "offensive", or indeed "uncharitable" towards ISKCON, simply refer them to the above more "charitable" statements from ISKCON's leadership, as well as BTP Special Issue 2, which is a whole issue of quotes of ISKCON's leaders agreeing with the IRM. And then give them the ultimate charity by directing them to the shelter of the real guru of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada.

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