Saturday, January 2, 2016

Zones of Disempowerment?



Zones of Disempowerment

BY: KRISHNA DASA

One of the biggest problems facing ISKCON is aversion to expansion on the part of managers. Managers have their preferred ways of preaching and do not want to incorporate other's preaching activities. They are more interested in having a monopoly on power than in allowing Lord Caitanya's movement to spread, and would prefer to lord it over a small operation than see others spread the movement.

[PADA: Wow, that sums it up. Of course the GBC is ALSO always hanging out with Gaudiya Matha / Babaji people -- so they can generate spin-offs to siphon thousands of people OUT of ISKCON and into organizations that are competing with ISKCON. 

In sum they would rather spawn ISKCON's competition than spawn programs that are allied with ISKCON. The GBC started the Sridhara, Narayana, BP Puri and BV Puri maharajas movements, and the Mahanidhi -- Babaji's movements, etc. Apparently, the main plan is to use ISKCON to siphon off people to feed competing programs? Meanwhile the GBC is spending millions suing the Prabhupada devotees, instead of using those millions to expand ISKCON.]

If other devotees have the desire and competence to preach, local authorities feel threatened. Devotees that want to take initiative are ignored, marginalized, demonized and even threatened by envious managers. Such managers are expert at politics and misuse this expertise to stay in control and stop the growth of the movement.

[PADA: Oddly, Jayapataka told some of his congregation who were complaining about their temple's managers to "avoid some temples because the leaders are demons, and to associate with the Nama Hatta." Ooops, who appointed these temple's leaders, yes it is the GBC and leaders like JPS.] 

Are you in a zone of disempowerment? The symptoms are as follows. Typically you will find disenchanted devotees in such a zone. They are not happy with the narrow focus of the local authorities, they are not able to fit into the existing service structure, they are not offered service opportunities. Their concerns are ignored, and they have been told they are not allowed to start their own project.

[PADA: Which is what happened in the Gaudiya Matha, the rank and file were alienated from the program.]

If enthusiastic devotees start their own project then the local authorities refuse to recognise it or try to take over the project, and in most cases run it down. The local authorities also convince the GBC that the new project is bad because it is not authorised. They also refuse to approve devotees for initiation if they are part of the unauthorised project. Unfortunately the GBC tends to remain loyal to the existing authorities.

[PADA: The GBC had to first of all approve of the existing authorities.]

Managers that obstruct the growth of the Hare Krishna movement should not be followed. They are false gurus, and if you follow their instructions you will not benefit yourself or the conditioned souls who are in need of Krishna. We all have a duty to Lord Caitanya to spread this movement. Materialistic power-hungry managers may try to stop the movement from spreading outside of their control but we should understand that they are guilty of violence, and anyone who supports them (including the GBC) is also guilty of violence.

[PADA: Right, anyone who supports the GBC gurus is implicated in their process. And if shastra is correct, then these false acharyas AND their lackeys, dupes, supporters, sycophants etc. are destined for the most obnoxious places in the universe ...]

"The human body is meant for spiritual realization, so any movement or any commissions which do not further that end commit violence on the human body. That which furthers the future spiritual happiness of the people in general is called nonviolence." (Bg 10.4-5, purport)

Although the Zonal Acarya System had its problems, the movement grew rapidly for as long as the acaryas were not embroiled in scandal. 

[PADA: The scandals already started in 1979, it was over before it started.]

That was partly because memories of Srila Prabhupada's enthusiasm and preaching spirit was still fresh in the minds of his disciples. Present day ISKCON, however, is suffering from another zonal system -- the zonal disempowerment system. 

Given that the GBC continues to support the materialistic managers, a grassroots revolution may be the only solution. But it will take courage to stand up to the ISKCON organisation that has unfortunately come to support those that obstruct the preaching movement.

Devotees that think it is wrong to oppose those managers can continue to support the ISKCON management that has failed to fulfil Srila Prabhupada's desire to have a substantial worldwide movement. But will they get the mercy? Let us not forget that Srila Prabhupada did not passively surrender to the Gaudiya Matha as it deteriorated. Nor would he expect us to blindly surrender to managers that have no vision.

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