From: Internet: "Basu Ghosh Das" <basughoshdas@gmail.com>
Date: 16-Apr-23 12:53 (08:53 -0400)
Bcc: Basu Ghosh (das) ACBSP (Baroda - IN) [220269]
Attached: 33738004.eml (41631 bytes) "Original email file"
Subject: Fwd: Kaunteya resigns from GBC positions -- as a result of ICC resolution
------------------------------------------------------------
Please read all the way down to get the full picture. First....
Note that Kaunteya Das subsequently changed the name of his book to "Tough
Questions, Difficult Answers" - but did not change the content. Resolution of the ICC sent to the GBC by the ISKCON India Bureau -- March 17, 2023
-- GBC take action against Kaunteya Das (JPS) --
Whereas, Kaunteya Das, an initiated disciple of Jayapataka Swami is GBC Global co-Minister for Congregational Development,
Whereas, Kaunteya Das, is (now former) Co-Chairman of the GBC Organizational
Development Committee and remains on the committee as a member,
Whereas, Kaunteya Das recently circulated a book entitled “Racism, Sexism &
Homophobia in Srila Prabhupada's Teachings”, that is full of ideas that offends and blasphemes Srila Prabhupada extensively and contradicts Srila Prabhupada’s teachings,
Whereas, Anuttama Das, the GBC Minister of Communications, and Hridayananda
Goswami, GBC Emeritus, Parabhakti Das, have effectively supported the ideas
of Kaunteya Das, by writing forwards endorsing his book, and thus contributed to this offense to Srila Prabhupada and the ISKCON India leadership,
Whereas, Kaunteya Das has launched a frontal, no holds barred public attack on social media against the ISKCON India leadership, that besides being the wrong way to debate, and ungentlemanly, is blatantly vaishnav aparadh, and has brought into disrepute the entire ISKCON India leadership,
Whereas, any attempt at changing the title of Kaunteya’s book creates a smokescreen to conceal the offensive content of the book,
Therefore, the ICC resolves,
1. That Kaunteya Das is hereby censured by the ICC.
2. The ICC calls for action to be taken by the GBC to remove Kaunteya Das from all managerial posts, all committees, and GBC College, etc., in ISKCON at the earliest.
3. The ICC calls on the GBC to immediately suspend Kaunteya Das from ISKCON,
unless and until he unconditionally disavows and withdraws his offensive book, and apologizes for his offenses,
unless and until he unconditionally disavows and withdraws his offensive book, and apologizes for his offenses,
4. The GBC must take action regarding their own members who endorsed this offensive book of Kaunteya Das, including Anuttama Das, the GBC Minister for Communications, and Hridayananda Goswami, GBC Emeritus, and Parabhakti Das,
who wrote forwards to the book.
5. The ICC hereby bans Kaunteya Das from lecturing and making presentations in all ISKCON centers in India.
6. The ICC requests the Bureau to follow up on the above.
who wrote forwards to the book.
5. The ICC hereby bans Kaunteya Das from lecturing and making presentations in all ISKCON centers in India.
6. The ICC requests the Bureau to follow up on the above.
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Date: Sun, Apr 16, 2023 at 5:33.AM
Subject: Kaunteya resigns from GBC positions
Please accept my humble obeisances
Jaya Srila Prabhupada
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0wJyQTwS1i86y5AxJxfYovmNRxn
EVW
sdfb2BfZ2gtvxDKP79aWquY4pxo9nMKhwiUl&id=100030182310411&mibextid=Nif5oz
In the above Facebook post from today Kaunteya Das has relinquished his GBC
office positions.
See below . his public announcement from his Facebook post...
From: Date: Sun, Apr 16, 2023 at 5:33.AM
Subject: Kaunteya resigns from GBC positions
Please accept my humble obeisances
Jaya Srila Prabhupada
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0wJyQTwS1i86y5AxJxfYovmNRxn
EVW
sdfb2BfZ2gtvxDKP79aWquY4pxo9nMKhwiUl&id=100030182310411&mibextid=Nif5oz
In the above Facebook post from today Kaunteya Das has relinquished his GBC
office positions.
See below . his public announcement from his Facebook post...
-------------------+++--
Krishna Willing, the Anti-Smarta Campaign Marches On (and Therefore I Am
Voluntarily Relinquishing All My GBC-Related Titles and Positions)
(What follows is the letter I just sent the GBC, slightly edited)
-------
Dear GBC Members, GBC Emeriti, and all other respectable receivers,
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada
A brief note on my anti-smarta campaign. I believe the damage already caused by the infiltration and influence of the neo-smartas within the leadership of ISKCON, especially in India, has been staggering.
A core group of committed neo-smartas are manipulating thousands of loyal devotees into assuming positions and attitudes antithetical to Gaudiya-vaisnavism, pushing them to accept ideas and precepts opposed to the letter and spirit of the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada.
Neo-smartas have turned a loyal division of ISKCON - in one sense the most
important country of the world for Krishna consciousness - into a belligerent enemy of the GBC.
The conciliatory approach of the GBC towards their cold-blooded rebellion has caused a loss of respect for the GBC in devotees worldwide, who witness disappointed and disoriented.
By the grace of God, my humble attempts at creating awareness, although in their infancy, are already producing results beyond my expectations. I therefore sense the moral obligation and spiritual duty to continue and strengthen this endeavor.
I am aware that the objectives, content and style of this anti-smarta campaign is inconsistent with the... conservative approach of the GBC.
Maintaining my GBC-related official functions has therefore become incongruous with these educational efforts I am therefore hereby voluntarily relinquishing, with immediate effect, all the formal roles, titles and positions I held within the GBC circle.
These include:
Being the co-minister of the ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry
Being a trustee of the GBC College for Leadership Development
Being the coordinator of the ISKCON Constitution Project
Being a member of the GBC Organizational Development Committee
Being a member of the GBC Nominations Committee
Being the Special Duty Officer for ISKCON Brazil
Being a member of the Latin Regional Governing Body (RGB)
Wishing all the best to all my seniors, ex-colleagues, and friends, I am taking leave from all of the above. May Srila Prabhupada, the Gaudiya-vaisnava acarya and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu be always happy with our services.
In the past months I had already relinquished the title of Global Duty Officer (GDO) and my membership in the GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT).
I remain open to consider whatever service you may wish to engage me in.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in the proximity of so many exalted Vaisnavas.
I especially thank all those who have kindly tolerated me while serving elbow-to-elbow in improving the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and its Governing Body Commission.
I am stepping sideways to continue the same mission from a different station.
I apologize for whatever mistakes, missteps, offenses or shortcomings I have been guilty of in these 16 years and seek your forgiveness and pardon.
Hare Krishna.
(To the neo-smartas and their acolytes that may foolishly take this stepping sideways as their personal victory: as usual, you have not understood anything.)
-------
About the book "Tough Questions, Difficult Answers on Srila Prabhupada's Contentious Remarks"
A GBC member wrote me:
"In the discussion in the GBC meeting, many people praised your book.
Although few, if any, had read it completely but they defended that it was not offensive, it was trying to answer some difficult questions that arose when Śrīla Prabhupāda had said certain things."
Right. I am told that some committee will review it. I am honored by that.
Regardless of anyone's evaluation of this book, the issues are urgent and important: why Srila Prabhupada said what he said about Blacks? About Hitler? About homosexuals? About women? What about the "rape purport"?,
How to speak about these topics in a respectful but realistic way? How to please Srila Prabhupada in this effort at clarification?
In the book I have attempted to address these issues (simply in connection with race, gender, and sexual orientation - but there are more areas that need attention).
You may love the book or trash it; in any case the issues remain. There are ISKCON devotees everywhere experiencing crises of faith; devotees who have
left their engagement in devotional service because of those contentious affirmations, and there are millions of people who are being turned off by those controversial statements.
The ISKCON leadership has a moral and missionary responsibility to do something about this. The time to stick our heads in the sand is over - or it should be.
Your servant, Kaunteya das
(Text PAMHO:33738004) --------------------------------------
------- End of Forwarded Message ------
Krishna Willing, the Anti-Smarta Campaign Marches On (and Therefore I Am
Voluntarily Relinquishing All My GBC-Related Titles and Positions)
(What follows is the letter I just sent the GBC, slightly edited)
-------
Dear GBC Members, GBC Emeriti, and all other respectable receivers,
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada
A brief note on my anti-smarta campaign. I believe the damage already caused by the infiltration and influence of the neo-smartas within the leadership of ISKCON, especially in India, has been staggering.
A core group of committed neo-smartas are manipulating thousands of loyal devotees into assuming positions and attitudes antithetical to Gaudiya-vaisnavism, pushing them to accept ideas and precepts opposed to the letter and spirit of the teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada.
Neo-smartas have turned a loyal division of ISKCON - in one sense the most
important country of the world for Krishna consciousness - into a belligerent enemy of the GBC.
The conciliatory approach of the GBC towards their cold-blooded rebellion has caused a loss of respect for the GBC in devotees worldwide, who witness disappointed and disoriented.
By the grace of God, my humble attempts at creating awareness, although in their infancy, are already producing results beyond my expectations. I therefore sense the moral obligation and spiritual duty to continue and strengthen this endeavor.
I am aware that the objectives, content and style of this anti-smarta campaign is inconsistent with the... conservative approach of the GBC.
Maintaining my GBC-related official functions has therefore become incongruous with these educational efforts I am therefore hereby voluntarily relinquishing, with immediate effect, all the formal roles, titles and positions I held within the GBC circle.
These include:
Being the co-minister of the ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry
Being a trustee of the GBC College for Leadership Development
Being the coordinator of the ISKCON Constitution Project
Being a member of the GBC Organizational Development Committee
Being a member of the GBC Nominations Committee
Being the Special Duty Officer for ISKCON Brazil
Being a member of the Latin Regional Governing Body (RGB)
Wishing all the best to all my seniors, ex-colleagues, and friends, I am taking leave from all of the above. May Srila Prabhupada, the Gaudiya-vaisnava acarya and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu be always happy with our services.
In the past months I had already relinquished the title of Global Duty Officer (GDO) and my membership in the GBC Strategic Planning Team (SPT).
I remain open to consider whatever service you may wish to engage me in.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in the proximity of so many exalted Vaisnavas.
I especially thank all those who have kindly tolerated me while serving elbow-to-elbow in improving the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and its Governing Body Commission.
I am stepping sideways to continue the same mission from a different station.
I apologize for whatever mistakes, missteps, offenses or shortcomings I have been guilty of in these 16 years and seek your forgiveness and pardon.
Hare Krishna.
(To the neo-smartas and their acolytes that may foolishly take this stepping sideways as their personal victory: as usual, you have not understood anything.)
-------
About the book "Tough Questions, Difficult Answers on Srila Prabhupada's Contentious Remarks"
A GBC member wrote me:
"In the discussion in the GBC meeting, many people praised your book.
Although few, if any, had read it completely but they defended that it was not offensive, it was trying to answer some difficult questions that arose when Śrīla Prabhupāda had said certain things."
Right. I am told that some committee will review it. I am honored by that.
Regardless of anyone's evaluation of this book, the issues are urgent and important: why Srila Prabhupada said what he said about Blacks? About Hitler? About homosexuals? About women? What about the "rape purport"?,
How to speak about these topics in a respectful but realistic way? How to please Srila Prabhupada in this effort at clarification?
In the book I have attempted to address these issues (simply in connection with race, gender, and sexual orientation - but there are more areas that need attention).
You may love the book or trash it; in any case the issues remain. There are ISKCON devotees everywhere experiencing crises of faith; devotees who have
left their engagement in devotional service because of those contentious affirmations, and there are millions of people who are being turned off by those controversial statements.
The ISKCON leadership has a moral and missionary responsibility to do something about this. The time to stick our heads in the sand is over - or it should be.
Your servant, Kaunteya das
(Text PAMHO:33738004) --------------------------------------
------- End of Forwarded Message ------
PADA: Except that already one zone said Kaunteya will still be allowed to come and speak there and have influence etc.
First of all, every religion has controversial statements in their scriptures. Say for example -- the Bible, the Quran, and never mind the Mormons and many others. Someone sent me texts from the Manu Samhita, and lets just say I prefer not to post them, controversial is an understatement. So does that mean we toss out all religions? Maybe some will do that.
As far as Hitler, Srila Prabhupada told us not to discuss Hitler. The whole Hitler thing blew up when the Sanat / Mukunda / Prahlad das / Bhakta Peter / Kamsahanta / HKC Jaipur et al. group began to advertise Mukunda's Hitler-anuga web site. Prahlad even bragged that their Hitler site "gets lots of hits." But we are not supposed to discuss Hitler? Then someone told me Mukunda and Prahlad are British racist skin heads who love Hitler -- because they think alike. Bodily platform. Great minds think alike?
So they got a whole bunch of other people discussing Hitler, including some devotee who made a pamphlet based on Mukunda's site. Yet Srila Prabhupada says Hitler is in bodily consciousness etc. They created their own tempest in a tea cup. If Hitler is a controversy, then do not discuss him. Duh!
As far as different races go, the Vedas describe 8,400,000 species -- including many human bodied ones. There are different races, and species, and all that is pretty much common knowledge. Of course Srila Prabhupada also says -- we are only temporarily different races and species, we are really eternal spirit souls, whether we are this race or that race -- is very fleeting. Even if we are teeny pincher bugs running across my floor, we are eternal jeevas. Why not emphasize that?
And Srila Prabhupada is sometimes quoting 1800s British Victorian ideas. Well hee hee, maybe so, but I am not sure why we should care? The main point is that we should become Krishna devotees, and why not emphasize that?
Kaunteya thinks millions of people are rejecting Krishna because of these controversial statements. Ummm, nope, the GBC's bhogha fried messiahs and their endless scandals and bad media publicity is what is making people reject the religion. Anway, how did this guy become such a prominent person in the GBC society when he has so many misunderstandings and doubts? And why would prominent leaders promote his book? Lots of splaining needed here!
Now Kaunteya says the ICC guys are atheists. Lots of love in their camp!
ys pd angel108b@yahoo.com
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