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04/19/98 - 1751

Oath of Allegiance to ISKCON

USA (VNN) - Letters from the Internet (see also VNN story# 1746)

To: news@chakra.org
Subject: Oath of Allegiance to ISKCON

Dear Editors of Chakra,

My obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I have just read the GBC report for this year, it's various laws and goals, and new implementations for our Society. What caught my personal attention was the recently formed oath of Allegiance to ISKCON.

It is a concern for me, because Grandfather Bhisma also took an oath to SEE WHOEVER SAT ON THE THRONE OF HASTINAPURA AS QUALIFIED AS HIS FATHER. This was a great mistake, because HIS OATH OF ALLEGIANCE implicated him to fight on the side of ADHARMA.

Who is to say that, those in positions of authority, shall not become deviant, or corrupt, and shall out of attachment and envy, become like King Dhrtarastra, and his son Duryodhana. With such an oath, part of ISKCON law, we also would become implicated to support people, who could also prove as unworthy as Duryodhana and his blind father. I do not agree with such an oath. I feel that if we as devotees, become aware of a person's character, as bad, and this person has a seat of authority, then it is up to us to, demand such a person be removed from his post. Not that we should blindly vow to support by our oath, anyone who may sit in the seat of the GBC. GOOD QUALIFICATIONS, SPOTLESS CHARACTER, AND PURITY need no OATH to support. We voluntarily will support a person who is pure. Srila Prabhupada, we support and continue to support because of his PURITY.

I think we are mixing POLITICS WITH SPIRITUALITY, and therefore putting sand in the sweet rice. My vow of allegiance is to spiritual purity, wherever I may find it. I do not want to be implicated in vowing my support blindly to persons, who may fall down.

I sent my son to Vrindavan Gurukula, blindly without checking to see if his teachers had the necessary qualifications. I learned my lesson of blind following the HARD WAY. I will not make the same mistake as Grandfather Bhisma, nor will I blindly agree to this same idea proposed by the GBC. Our vow is not to support a POSITION, BUT TO SUPPORT TRUTH AND PURITY. There is a DIFFERENCE.

Please let me know what your thoughts are on the above post. I personally feel this way, because of my experiences, level of knowledge, and understanding. I would like to know why such an oath of allegiance has been manufactured? Who are we trying to protect? TRUTH AND PURITY stand on their own merit, and command respect, and allegiance. They do not demand or legislate it. Then it becomes POLITICS.

Srila Prabhupada stated that religion and politics don't mix. But this is exactly what I see happening. As Chakra is a news friendly website, ready to hear the voice of all its members, I appeal to Chakra as a member of ISKCON, to hear my voice, as I feel such a new law as taking a vow of allegiance, was made without properly taking into consideration the result of such a proposal. I do not want to find myself in the same position as Grandfather Bhisma and support wrong ideas.

Spiritual life is VOLUNTARY. It is not LEGISLATED. Even King Yudhisthira, at the beginning of the battle of Kuruksetra, asked if there was anyone on Duryodhana's side who thought TRUTH AND DHARMA was with the Pandavas. King Yudhisthira invited those on Duryodhana's side to come to join him and the Pandavas if they felt that TRUTH WAS ON THEIR SIDE. Also King Yudhisthira announced to his own army, that if there was anyone who thought TRUTH WAS ON DURYODHANA'S SIDE, then any soldier was free to enter Duryodhana's camp.

We should take example from this great soul, and RESPECT THE INDIVIDUALS RIGHT OF FREE CHOICE to support what they choose. Force and legislation are not a part of our spiritual heritage, and is not supported by our founder A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. I am disappointed with the idea of such an allegiance, because it could implicate devotees into supporting crime and deviation, as history has already clearly showed us, by GRANDFATHER BHISMA'S MISTAKE. and our own ISKCON EXPERIENCE.

Please consider the above. Please let me know, how do I make my concern known to the GBC.? Although an ant, in this movement, I also carry a grain of sand. Please help me in this regard. Hoping to hear from you soon, on this important matter.

Your servant,
Pracetana dasi



Dear Prabhus

PAMHO AGTSP!

When Srila Prabhupada was present, we swore an oath to follow all of the four rules and chant 16 rounds as His disciples.

This was (at that time) an oath to ISKCON, since ISKCON was non-different from Srila Prabhupada.

By creating the "guru deviation" the foolish GBC have now created a loyalty disaster!

If the loyalty naturally generated from the initiation process has becoem splayed into hundreds of barely maintainable loyalty camps, then they come to the soggy, chilly realization that there is no loyalty left for ISKCON.

ISKCON IS SRILA PRABHUPADA'S BODY!

Having deviated ALL loyalty away from Srila Prabhupadas (except as a "siksa" figurehead talisman status) they now find to their surprise that there is no loyalty left for SRILA PRABHUPADA'S BODY.

Hence the "loyalty oath".

I was raised in the 1950's with the McCarthy era and the "loyalty oath" of that time.

Whoever did not sign it could not get any government job, or any other job for that matter.

Obviously, the oath did not increase ANYBODY'S loyalty.

It was simply a device to weed out anyone with an ounce of patriotism or respect for first amendment rights. The "oath" ushered in an era of what were very accurately described as "witch hunts", which is the only reason for such an oath in the first place.

HITLER'S SS ALSO MADE IT'S MEMBERS SWEAR SUCH AN OATH.

Such an oath preceeds social collapse. Hopefully when they collapse, gurus oath and all, they will not destroy anything but themselves.

Your eternal servant,

Nara Narayan Vishwakarma das




Re: Oath of Allegiance to ISKCON

Dear Prabhus,

All glories to Srila Prabhupada Please accept my humble obeisances.

It is interesting that this question of Oath of Allegience has come up. From what I understand from reading the conversations with Srila Prabupada, an Oath of Allegiance was to be taken by the GBC and included an outlining of their duties to check that spiritual progress was being made in the temples under their management, making sure devotees were chanting their rounds and following the four regs. Also they should see to it that debts are not incurred and assist the temple presidents. It is/was a suggested outline of their duties. It was not only considered a spiritual document but a legal one as well. Prabhus, please check out the conversation with Srila Prabhupada entitled Conversation with the GBC March 27, 1975, Mayapur. Srila Prabupada mentions also in a letter that he has the oath of allegiance of one of his disciples who has misapporopriated funds and that the oath can be used in prosecution of said disciple. "Regarding Manasvi, you should immediately prosecute. The charge should be Breach of Trust and Misappropriation of Funds. I have received today the Oath of Allegiance duly signed by him and notarized. When required it will be supplied to you. Therefore I wanted this declaration. Immediately prosecute." Srila Prabhupada Letter to: Paramahamsa: Vrindaban 4 September, 1975

I would like to hear if any one knows if these oaths of allegiance have been used to recapture the large sums of monies taken by those who have left Srila Prabhupada's movement and if not, why not? Also, have they been used to curtail debt and misappropriation of funds? Again if not why not?

Why not use these oaths of allegiance now to hold those responsible for the selling of the many properties that belonged to Srila Prabupada (ie NYC's Sri Sri Radha Govinda's 55th St temple).

Too often I have seen legal threats made against honest devotees who want to spread Srila Prabuhpada's mission but where lies the legal responsibilty for those who have made disasterous decisions with Srila Prabupada's assets?

Did the GBC's in 1977 take an oath of allegiance (or a vow to Srila Prabhupada as it were)? Are they taking the same one approved by Srila Prabhupada now and following it?

The kind of twisting of Srila Prabhupada's instructions [that is going on today] just burns me up.

ys, Krsna Prema dd




Hare Krishna.

Please accept my humble obeisnaces. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On the subject matter of pledging allegiance to Iskcon. This has got to be the work of a demoniac mind. No where in any of Srila Prabhupada's books does he demand allegiance to Iskcon. We are voluntarily giving of our allegiance to the Absolute Truth. Which resides in the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Chaitanya Caritamrita and in the words of our Spiritual Masters. Where does it say that an oath of allegiance must be made to an institution? Show me!!! This is the work of a demon looking to control the hearts and minds of others. Nothing more. If the leadership of Iskcon must resort to this low class tactic and can not instill purely the dedication and allegiance of it's followers then it is not fit to lead.

It is the death knell of a spititual organization. As soon as the leadership sees the necessity of forcing allegiance to it's so-called organization then it is on it's way down to the deepest darkest regions of hell. For once this process becomes a part of the institutions hierarchy then the misuse and abuse of its members becomes more and more cruel and inhuman. This desire of the leadership of Iskcon is a sign of their desperation. They are losing control and instead of leading by example they are leading by coercion.

I have heard and seen the bad example of our leadership. When compared to the life and activities of the great and stalwart saints both present and past, they are an embarrassment to the society of vaishnavas. I hope and pray every day that the path which our leadership is on will become rectified by the loud crys of the real stalwarts of devotional life.

Anyone who out of sentiment and blind following chants the glories of pledging our allegiance to Iskcon is subject to extreme scrutiny. Their very existence is a hindrance to the pure path of bhakti yoga. No amount of legislation or coercion will bring about the transformation of the heart. One must delve deeply within ones own heart and carefully and slowly remove the material desires which prevent the heart from being a suitable resting place for the Supreme Lord.

If someone asks your to pledge your allegiance to Iskcon, run as fast as you can from such a person or defeat him or her with the logic of the revealed scriptures.

Please I beg of you all who still have your intellect in tact do not allow yourselves to be seduced by this lure of satans trickery.

Gary




Dear Pracetana dasi,

Haribol! I am an editor of Hare Krishna World and Priti-laksanam, and a loyal citizen of ISKCON. I got your letter to Chakra about an oath of allegience.

I couldn't agree with you more! I hope purity, reason, and humility prevail on the part of our leadership. I mistrust people who ask us to be loyal to them and then are themselves not accountable to us.

YS, Kunti d.d.

PS May I print your letter in Priti-laksanam? It is seem by some of the GBC and other leaders, as well as many others. It is an internal journal started by Pranada dasi.


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