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WORLD February 14, 2000 VNN5473 Related VNN Stories Sivarama Swami Resigns From The GBC USA, Feb 14 (VNN) — The series of texts below indicate why HH Sivarama Swami has resigned from the GBC. (see also VNN Story 5407) FROM: Sivarama Swami, 101634.3660 TO: GBC.Discussions, GBC.Discussions@com.bbt.se DATE: 10/21/99 11:42 AM Re: Copy of: What does the GBC say about this
Dear Members I recently read a series of messages from Madhusdhani Radhe and Dyana Kund dd. I am not receiver of these conferences and this was an isolated CC: I received. Yet it is disturbing these things are going on by ISKCON devotees on an ISKCON sponsored forum. I include some excerpts below and some brief thoughts. Is the GBC not supposed to comment on such opinions about Prabhupada and are they not meant to do anything about them. "Ahem" (clearing my throat here) Although I have enough headaches reading this type of poisonous rhetoric .......... "Although other people may see Prabhupada as more of a human being and less "God-like" than you do and they may feel that he has made mistakes about material matters, without feeling that this detracts from his ability to give us Krsna, *you* have taken it upon yourself to judge that this constitutes an offense, that your view of Prabhupada is the only right one and that everyone else is a blasphemer. MRdd"........seems to fall into the category of tolerating blasphemy of devotees. I for one do not want to. It seems the issue of Prabhupada's "material" and "spiritual" guidance should be addressed. As a first step this appears to be the duty of the spiritual master Jayapataka Swami. I am positive he does not see eye to eye with this type of nonsense but I would like to know what he is doing about it. Your servant Sivarama Swami PS As an addendum, perhaps Krsna Ksetra Prabhu can teach this lady that one cannot make such comments about Lord Caitanya's father. "(Dhkdd: Jagannatha Misra, Lord Caitanya's father, had eight daughters before he got his two sons. He must have had lots of illicit sex before, or...? )"or this "Another things that bothers me is that Srila Prabhupada is always so sure of himself. He is fully confident in his own judgment. He is fully confident that the world is full of girls, that in certain places all people are rascals, that "Bad things means Western type of civilization," etc. Very strong, super simple black-and-white general statements. Where ordinary people would soften their statements by saying, "as far as I know," "I am convinced that," "to some degree," "in this respect," "from my experience," "most probably," "at present it looks like..." etc., Srila Prabhupada passes absolute judgemnts, and he is not even consistent in them.End. From: Sivarama Swami Date: 25-Nov-99 16:18 -0500 Subject: on closing all COM conferences ----------------------------------- "I want to see some immediate action in this regard. I feel this is the worst attack on ISKCON and therefore this should be the most important agenda for the GBC EC to take up."I asked for the same a month ago and was informed the executive is working on something behind the scenes. To date I do not know what that is. Letter COM:2808316 (10 lines) From: Sivarama Swami Date: 26-Nov-99 00:33 -0500 Comment: Text COM:2813368 by (Bhakti Brnga) Govinda Swami Comment: Text COM:2815358 by Hari Sauri (das) ACBSP Subject: on closing all COM conferences -------------------------------------- BKGM I suggest 1) stoping all com conferences, 2) JPS speak wth MSR and give a report but I you told me the EC was looking into some action, I have been waiting to hear about that. Sivarama Swami From: Sivarama Swami Date: 07-Dec-99 04:13 -0500 Subject: On closing all COM etc ------------------------------ Dear Mr Chairman Perhaps I can shed light on the frustration of myself and other GBC members regarding the offensive statements in VAST and elsewhere regarding Srila Prabhupada. 1. When the "Vrndavana" issue came out the GBC Exec was quick to give an immediate public response to whatever they saw the issue to be. 2. Although I and others, have requested some action since the 21st of October, 7 weeks, not even a Stay Order, like a) All discusions regarding Srila Prabhupada's "sexist" views should stop in com conferences. b) "Offensive statements" (or any that can be construed to be so) regarding Srila Prabhupada are not tolerated in ISKCON or in any ISKCOM forum. c) etc etc has been issued, which may not have been accurate but would have assuaged those concerned parties that something was being done. 3). Although a series of recommendations have been given since, little communication has returned to the concerned parties, other than JPS's reluctant agreement to talk with MRdd Therefore I and others remain unhappy that the seriousness of this issue has been recognized and is being dealt with expeditiously. From: Sivarama Swami Date: 17-Dec-99 06:19 -0500 Subject: how to save ourselves from the offences committed to Srila --------------------------------------- "But this screaming, yelling, demonizing and demanding blood on the internet is not the proper procedure. I will have nothing to do with it. It is not proper."A point of clarification M. Chairman. Most of the postings I read were to do with the lethargy the executive or GBC exhibited in commenting on the principle of Srila Prabhupada being blasphemed, or taking some interim measure until the individuals and the issue in its entirety is dealt with. That for me is more serious than the bewilderment of a few individuals like Dhyana Kund dd. From: Sivarama Swami Date: -Dec-99 Subject: My resignation from the GBC Dear Chairman and Executive Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada I am sorry to have to tender my resignation from the GBC body. I am not happy to do so but see no alternative at present. For the last two months I and many others have been concerned over blasphemous statements made by some members of our Society (and member outside of our Society on ISKCON's communications media COM) about Srila Prabhupada. The GBC executive or body has not to date stopped such criticism nor taken a clear and strong stance against it. According to sastra there are three steps to take in such circumstances. Cut out the offender's tongue - I cannot do that, defeat them with argument - that cannot be done over com and takes time, or leave the vicinity - that is the only recourse left; therefore I resign. I recognize that there should be a due process for addressing the pro's and con's of the issue, and communicating with the perpetrators in a vaisnava way. My objection is to the lack of response by the GBC in supporting an inviolable principle, "Srila Prabhupada cannot be minimized in ISKCON" and taking some interim steps until the entire issue is finally resolved. I must voice my most serious objection to this inaction, which I see as defacto support of the blasphemy of Prabhupada. I shall continue to act as caretaker for this zone and the devotees therein (eg. as regional secretary). When this issue has been clearly dealt with, the GBC body may consider if they want me to resume my duties as a member. Until then I remain... Your servant Sivarama Swami Related VNN Stories  Comment on this storyContact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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