ISKCON’s Racial Arguments Continue

Back To Prabhupada, Issue 37, Autumn 2012

n pages 4-6 of this issue (GBC Member Accepts De Facto Rtvik System, Using Philosophy as a Bogus Cover - 1 & Using Philosophy as a Bogus Cover - 1) we document how ISKCON's leadership have blatantly put forward philosophy that they themselves do not accept, in a desperate attempt to justify their usurpation of Srila Prabhupada's position. Over the next 2 pages we profile an even more desperate tactic, whereby, let alone misusing philosophy, no philosophy at all is put forward! Instead, being unable to present any philosophical arguments, recourse is made to personal attacks based on racial theories or the invoking of religious and legal threats. We start first with a racial attack made by a representative of ISKCON Nairobi, Manasi Ganga devi dasi, via email on 17/8/2012. We wrote directly to ISKCON Nairobi asking if they agreed with her mail, to which they replied on 21/8/2012: "Yes we do." In the shaded boxes below are extracts from the email sent by Manasi Ganga devi dasi.

Demoniac birth

"Attn. Krishnakant. Dear Demons, I dare and challenge you to publish what I write in your magazine, that only pours out envy. Anyone with very little intelligence can see through the enviousness. This enviousness is truly not your fault, it is the fault of your birth. British culture is based on enviousness. British ruled all over the world with ONE POLICY of divide and rule, and they succeeded, but not forever, the empire came down. Ravana, Hiranyakasipu, Kamsa all had their victory but the last victory is never of the demons. \[…\] True to your Western culture, since you did not ever contribute other than TAKING ADVANTAGE".

Unable to cite any statements in BTP which are incorrect, Manasi Ganga devi dasi simply assumes they must automatically be incorrect because:

a) I am of British birth;
b) British and Western culture is based on enviousness and taking advantage;
c) Those coming from a such background are considered demons.

These attacks based on bodily considerations rather than evidence continue a theme presented in BTP 34, where ISKCON guru HH Jayadvaita Swami insisted that I must be wrong in relation to the GBC due to only being a "Gujarati guy" (of Indian origin). (Please see "Determining the truth -1: Ignorant bodily consciousness?", BTP 34.) Though, ISKCON is unable to make up its mind regarding the exact racial theory it is putting forward; whether BTP must be wrong because I am British, Indian, or both!?

Indians respect false gurus

"I am of an Indian background \[…\] I was also initiated by Bhagavan and now by HH Lokanath Swami, and I take siksa from HH Sivarama Maharaja, HH Gopal Krsna Maharaja, HH Jayadvaita Maharaja. If I meet Bhagavan I will do full dandavat what siksa I got from him I will never forget. This is the difference in Indian and Western culture, we appreciate, respect and are grateful whereas in the west no respect for parents, elders, so where is the question of respecting gurus."

1) Continuing with her racial theories, Manasi Ganga devi dasi states that due to her "Indian background", she will continue to honour her initiating guru, Bhagavan even today, even though he later had to be removed from his guru position due to illicit activity. This respect she claims is due to the "difference in Indian and Western culture". But, if the guru becomes a non-guru, he was never a guru to begin with:

"Well, if he is bad, how can he become a guru? [laughter.] How can iron become gold? Actually, a guru cannot be bad, for if someone is bad, he cannot be a guru."
(The Science of Self-Realisation, Chapter 2)

2) Having claimed that western culture and birth automatically disqualifies myself from being non-envious, Manasi Ganga devi dasi defeats her own racial theory by admitting that her initiating guru, as well as 2 of 3 of her siksa gurus, are of western birth and culture (Bhagavan, HH Sivarama Maharaja and HH Jayadvaita Maharaja)! Indeed, Manasi Ganga devi dasi accepts that ISKCON's successor gurus, the vast majority of whom are of western culture and birth, are not only non-envious, but fit to be worshipped "as good as god"!

ISKCON so weak in the West

"Unfortunately this is the reason why the movement is becoming so weak in the west and in India it is spreading like wild fire, they are not bothered with the fall downs they only want spiritual progress and gurus. ISKCON as set up by Srila Prabhupada is thriving and will thrive, all sincere souls have the blessings of Krsna and Srila Prabhupada."

Continuing to explain everything as racial theories, Manasi Ganga devi dasi asserts that ISKCON is "so weak" in the West, unlike India, where the movement is supposedly thriving, because Indians do not care if their gurus are false and fall down into sinful activity!

Shoot the messenger

"I would like you to publish along with your so-called bribed supporters, your own personal history, how clean you have been".

Srila Prabhupada either ordered 11 rtviks to transmogrify into successor diksa gurus or he did not (see Modification A, in The Final Order). If he did, one can simply present that order. And if he did not, then attacking me, or proving how unworthy a person I am, will not make such an order magically appear. That is the fatal flaw of personal attacks: shooting the messenger can only kill the messenger, not the message itself, because the message depends on the evidence and not the person presenting it. And, even if one manages to destroy the messenger, many others can continue to present the same message. So attacking the messenger will not work. One needs to confront the actual message with evidence and philosophy.

Offending Srila Prabhupada

"I have a humble request please strike us off your list, I have been offending Srila Prabhupada and his devotees by burning their photos, (i tell a bhakta just burn, they look at me, have I gone mad). I curse your establishment that you take the reaction for us committing this offense, and I know so many other people are doing the same."

It takes only a few seconds to send an email saying: "Remove". Manasi Ganga devi dasi could have done this the very first time she received BTP, rather than engaging in her self-confessed offensive and "mad" activities. Indeed, it takes much more time and energy to burn many photos. Thus, the only cause of her offensive behaviour is herself.

Conclusion

Just the simple fact that many persons of Indian birth and culture have accepted and are promoting Back To Prabhupada's message means that Manasi Ganga devi dasi cannot rely on her racial theories to explain why BTP must be incorrect. Rather, she needs to offer Krsna conscious philosophy in the form of Srila Prabhupada's orders.

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