And moreover, the leaders needed to take charge and weed out abusers from having any connection to these children. How could they not know this is required, when any hillbilly from the Ozarks already knows these things are required for children? Sorry, that is a lame excuse, the leaders "did not know" the basic requirement for maintaining children, when any Joe six pack walking down the street already knows what is required.
And to say they were all young and inexperienced shifts the blame to some anonymous non-entity. I get into this type of argument all the time since 1978 with ISKCON folks. Well prabhu, it is clear, you have to decide who your guru is going to be by study of the shastra. You have to make that choice yourself. And moreover, Jayadvaita says our guru choices are "buyer beware," so we had better study carefully.
OK, let me get this straight, five years old children are supposed to "study the shastra," and have superior discrimination than the entire GBC, and decide who gets to be their eternal link to Krishna. And if they make the wrong choice, "it is their karma." Does any of this make any sense?
The five years old children are managing the guru selection of the society? And it is their fault bad choices are being made. My friend (he is a lawyer) says, this would be like telling a child who was injured by a faulty car baby seat that -- he made the wrong choice of baby seat, so it is the child's faults for being injured.
That means, everyone else is copping out of taking responsibility, and now it is blaming the victims. Yep, the leaders were young and inexperienced, so they crammed pedophile worship down our throats, and our children's throats, and banned, beat, sued and killed anyone who disagreed. And this is all the fault of sinister and evil five years old children, who made the wrong guru choices and they wanted to worship deviants. Any questions?
And is ISKCON Denmark promoting any of the people who orchestrated this regime. I have to say the Denmark site has a lot of focus on Prabhupada, and even advertised one Prabhupadanuga site. Good, at the same time, they should make an official public declaration, we are not in any way, shape or form connected to the GBC's illicit sex with men, women and children guru parampara, which bans, beats, molests, sues and kills Vaishnavas, nor are we connected to any of its members, enablers, associates and etc. Public disassociation.
ys pd]
angel108b@yahoo.com
========================
ISKCON SWAMI GUILTY OF SEX OFFENSES AGAINST MINOR
December, 2022 | Child Protection , ISKCON
By Danesa Dasa
On October 28, ISKCON's Child Protection Office (CPO) found Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami (BVPS) guilty of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and psychological abuse of a minor girl at ISKCON's headquarters in Mayapur, West Bengal, India.
With immediate notice, he is banished for life from Mayapur, where he has lived for several decades. ISKCON does not have a mandate to prosecute or imprison BVPS, but has so far placed strict restrictions on his presence on ISKCON grounds worldwide.
In addition to the CPO's decision, BVPS has been stripped of its title of 'swami' or 'sannyasi' by ISKCON's sannyasa ministry. He must no longer call himself Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami, but henceforth must use the name he was given at his first initiation, Anirdesya Vapu Dasa, and wear white (as opposed to the saffron-colored garments belonging to the order of life of renunciation). He has been ordered to be fully available in connection with the committee's further investigations.
A glaring history of child abuse
Back in the year 2000, BVPS was deprived of the opportunity to interact with children in ISKCON. He was the head of a boys' school in Mayapur for many years and after a major investigation was found guilty of systematic and merciless violence against the children. He was also found guilty of turning a blind eye to other physical, sexual and psychological abuse that was ongoing at the school.
ISKCON SWAMI GUILTY OF SEX OFFENSES AGAINST MINOR
December, 2022 | Child Protection , ISKCON
By Danesa Dasa
On October 28, ISKCON's Child Protection Office (CPO) found Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami (BVPS) guilty of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and psychological abuse of a minor girl at ISKCON's headquarters in Mayapur, West Bengal, India.
With immediate notice, he is banished for life from Mayapur, where he has lived for several decades. ISKCON does not have a mandate to prosecute or imprison BVPS, but has so far placed strict restrictions on his presence on ISKCON grounds worldwide.
In addition to the CPO's decision, BVPS has been stripped of its title of 'swami' or 'sannyasi' by ISKCON's sannyasa ministry. He must no longer call himself Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami, but henceforth must use the name he was given at his first initiation, Anirdesya Vapu Dasa, and wear white (as opposed to the saffron-colored garments belonging to the order of life of renunciation). He has been ordered to be fully available in connection with the committee's further investigations.
A glaring history of child abuse
Back in the year 2000, BVPS was deprived of the opportunity to interact with children in ISKCON. He was the head of a boys' school in Mayapur for many years and after a major investigation was found guilty of systematic and merciless violence against the children. He was also found guilty of turning a blind eye to other physical, sexual and psychological abuse that was ongoing at the school.
Despite these revelations, BVPS was not stripped of his sannyasi title and thus retained his exalted position as a spiritual leader in ISKCON. However, he had his mandate to initiate new disciples temporarily suspended, which a little later was effected for life.
The current case is the fourth in a row against Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami (the cases are from 2000, 2007, 2015 and now 2022), which in itself sets off a few red flags.
A historical perspective
Winston Churchill said: "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
To understand the situation and how such a mess with BVPS can happen, it may be helpful to look at ISKCON from a historical perspective. ISKCON is a relatively new and young movement that over the years has been led by young, inexperienced and often uneducated members. Many of them had even distanced themselves from the established society around them. In other words, they had also detached themselves from the collective knowledge and know-how that the surrounding society had built up over many generations. Every young society, association, company, family, etc. depends on knowledge and experience from outside to avoid repeating mistakes.
The current case is the fourth in a row against Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami (the cases are from 2000, 2007, 2015 and now 2022), which in itself sets off a few red flags.
A historical perspective
Winston Churchill said: "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
To understand the situation and how such a mess with BVPS can happen, it may be helpful to look at ISKCON from a historical perspective. ISKCON is a relatively new and young movement that over the years has been led by young, inexperienced and often uneducated members. Many of them had even distanced themselves from the established society around them. In other words, they had also detached themselves from the collective knowledge and know-how that the surrounding society had built up over many generations. Every young society, association, company, family, etc. depends on knowledge and experience from outside to avoid repeating mistakes.
We see e.g. in the animal kingdom, when a group of chimpanzees loses its parents (for example if they are shot or killed by predators), chaos ensues for the young. They have no role models, loses understanding of routines, rank and procedures and "goes crazy". There is simply a lack of guidance and control from the adults. It may appear as if ISKCON suffers a bit from a similar dynamic. When Srila Prabhupada left his body in 1977, it was still a very young movement consisting of relatively young and inexperienced devotees. Among other things, due to this dynamic, we have witnessed many problems, missteps and conflicts à la the affair with BVPS.
Over the years, fortunately, there has been a great development in the movement in everything from education, care for the elderly, hospital and hospice services, children's conditions and well-being, etc., etc. There are growing pains, but we are quietly building an arsenal of life-experienced, educated and wise, older people who pass on knowledge and can lead the younger generations. We have many highly qualified devotees who work hard all over the world to create optimal conditions for "a house in which the whole world can live", as Srila Prabhupada wanted. The CPO's tireless work for the children is a good example of this.
Next step
There is a great outcry right now around ISKCON regarding the conditions and safety of children and we can hope that there will be significant reform. The leaders of ISKCON in North America have e.g. just announced that a larger budget will be set aside for the further work of the CPO, and I hope this trend continues and spreads throughout ISKCON. There are of course also many other areas where ISKCON can and should be improved, and it requires a great joint effort from all of us if this is to happen. In the business world, where employees receive cash payment for their efforts, there is often a naturally embedded incentive for change and development.
Over the years, fortunately, there has been a great development in the movement in everything from education, care for the elderly, hospital and hospice services, children's conditions and well-being, etc., etc. There are growing pains, but we are quietly building an arsenal of life-experienced, educated and wise, older people who pass on knowledge and can lead the younger generations. We have many highly qualified devotees who work hard all over the world to create optimal conditions for "a house in which the whole world can live", as Srila Prabhupada wanted. The CPO's tireless work for the children is a good example of this.
Next step
There is a great outcry right now around ISKCON regarding the conditions and safety of children and we can hope that there will be significant reform. The leaders of ISKCON in North America have e.g. just announced that a larger budget will be set aside for the further work of the CPO, and I hope this trend continues and spreads throughout ISKCON. There are of course also many other areas where ISKCON can and should be improved, and it requires a great joint effort from all of us if this is to happen. In the business world, where employees receive cash payment for their efforts, there is often a naturally embedded incentive for change and development.
In voluntary organizations the dynamic is different. Here, the effort is not tied to economics, but to idealism and community. Often there isn't that much money in circulation, and it doesn't get any easier if that the system is dependent on voluntary forces. We must remember that it is not easy for the voluntary, loosely coupled management bodies around ISKCON to have a full overview and ensure optimal conditions. They are pressed for time, money and at times maybe also motivation due to the workload. Let us all work together to make ISKCON the place Srila Prabhupada wanted and ensure that all who come - and especially the children - are protected and valued. Hare Krishna! those who come - and especially the children - are protected and valued. Hare Krishna! those who come - and especially the children - are protected and valued. Hare Krishna!
For more information visit: www.iskconchildprotection.org. See also https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-imposes-ban-on-bhakti-vidya-purna-swami-for-sexual-abuse-of-minor-and-leadership-abuse/.
For more information visit: www.iskconchildprotection.org. See also https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-imposes-ban-on-bhakti-vidya-purna-swami-for-sexual-abuse-of-minor-and-leadership-abuse/.
RP: Good on ISKCON Denmark. Every ISKCON swami who had close association with this abuser should step down. In this instance it is truly a case of "guilty by association." For as we have seen in the past week or two, there a many swamis who knew what was going on and they turned a blind eye.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore they try now to clumsily distance themselves or feign ignorance of the depth of the depravity they had known of. They have no standing, no credibility any more to talk about "Krishna Consciousness." Turn in your guru card, fellas, and go back to being the rank-and-file devotee.
How anyone can listen to actors in Swami costumes like Kadamba, Swami, Govinda etc talk about "Krishna" is beyond me.