his year's GBC resolutions contained some amazing admissions, which were then quickly covered up as we will detail.
When GBC resolutions are replacing a previous resolution, they usually begin with a "Whereas" section, wherein the GBC explains the rationale for the new modified resolution. At this year's GBC meetings, resolution no. 702.02 is such a resolution in that it states that it is replacing an earlier GBC resolution which represented "ISKCON Law 7.3.2". The resolution thus has a "Whereas" section, which gives the many reasons for why the previous resolution needed to be changed. These reasons reveal that even the GBC realises just how deviant its position is, and some of these reasons are presented below in the shaded boxes.
Totally dismissed Srila Prabhupada
"Whereas in the current Resolution Srila Prabhupada's statements on the "Law of the Disciplic Succession", "Etiquette" and "Retirement of the Guru" have been totally dismissed"
Thus, it is admitting that until now the GBC has basically "totally dismissed" Srila Prabhupada's teachings regarding things such as the "law of disciplic succession", etc., when passing resolutions on certain issues relating to its guru system. Of course, we have been pointing this out for a long time.
Srila Prabhupada "faded"
"Whereas Srila Prabhupada's position has already somewhat "faded" in the present context and an indiscriminate increase of the number of gurus may intensify this problem."
It is accepted that Srila Prabhupada's position in ISKCON is minimised.
"Senior" gurus are still having problems
"Whereas the Guru Service Committee informs us that some gurus, even older, experienced devotees, are having problems."
It is revealed that even their "experienced" gurus are having problems.
"Insufficiently qualified" gurus
"Whereas with the future demise of elder initiating gurus with large number of disciples there is the risk of an inordinate proliferation of insufficiently qualified gurus."
Having raised the alarm about their senior current gurus, it is further admitted that it is likely the situation will just get worse.
The problems revealed above clearly prove that ISKCON needs to get "Back To Prabhupada"!
When the GBC is itself admitting how deviant its concocted guru systems are, you know things must be bad! So bad, in fact, that the GBC was then forced to remove the "Whereas" part of the resolution that contained the above admissions!
What happened was the resolution was first published intact – with the full "Whereas" reasoning section, as part of publishing all the 2024 GBC resolutions – by the GBC-funded website "Dandavats", on April 1st. However, a few days later, without notice or explanation, the GBC resolutions were reposted on the website with the "Whereas" section of resolution no. 702.02 censored! This deletion was the only significant change made to the original 2024 GBC resolutions. Thus, this "cover-up" is actually the most revealing and relevant thing about the resolution. It shows that the GBC:
1) Fully accepts how deviant and screwed up its GBC guru system is;
2) But does not want anyone to know that it knows!
This resolution was passed in order to fix the deviant practices of allowing the disciples of the GBC gurus to initiate while their GBC gurus are not just physically present but also continuing to initiate alongside them. However, in typical contradictory, deviant GBC fashion, although the resolution accepts that this practice should be stopped, it also states that:
a) All current 100+ gurus can still carry on engaging in these deviations.
b) All future candidates for guru can also carry on engaging in these deviations if certain "mandatory" conditions are met.
The resolution also mentions two further deviations:
1) It allows for the GBC to impose a limit on the number of disciples that a particular guru may initiate:
"The number of disciples the new diksa-guru may initiate can be limited by the GBC."
This despite the "law of disciplic succession", stating that a diksa guru can accept disciples "without any limitation":
"during the lifetime of your Spiritual master you bring the prospective disciples to him, and in his absence or disappearance you can accept disciples without any limitation. This is the law of disciplic succession."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 2/12/75)
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Thus, we have yet another proof that the GBC does not actually believe in this "law" and only invokes it to try to remove Srila Prabhupada as ISKCON's diksa guru, but is happy to contradict it when convenient.
2) It allows for the GBC to reintroduce the idea of the previously much-discredited "zonal-acarya" system in which a guru may only initiate in a particular geographical area:
"Optional conditions that may be applied [...] When the candidate takes up the service of diksa-guru he will only be able initiate [sic] in a specific area(s)."
Thus, again, the GBC has provided yet another reason why it does not actually believe in the "law of disciplic succession". The "law" states that the diksa guru can accept disciples "without any limitation", and yet the GBC is saying that a diksa guru can be limited regarding where he accepts disciples.
This GBC resolution states that the aspect of the law that prevents one from initiating in the physical presence of one's initiating guru can be overridden in "exceptional" cases due to "historical precedents" (meaning the GBC does not believe it is even a "law" for ISKCON). But it does not claim there is any reason why the part of the law stating that disciples can be accepted "without limitation" can be overriden. And yet it does exactly that. Thus, we have the GBC contradicting itself within the same resolution – which is maybe a first even for the GBC!
The GBC's deviant concocted "parampara" systems, full of contradiction, continue. As shown by the article on page 3, such contradiction occurs because the GBC does not act according to Srila Prabhupada's orders and thus has no philosophy.