USA
12/28/97 - 1437
ISKCON Denver Temple Evicts Gurukulis
USA (VNN) - An ISKCON phenomena: Men that claim to be in the Sannyasa
Ashram (the renounced order of life) while owning houses, luxury
apartments, farms, cars, bank accounts, credit cards etc. On the
other hand we see householders, that collect for the temple and
possibly have done so for a decade or two, keep nothing for themselves
and their children can't "rent" a room in the temple to be with
their parents?
What's wrong with this picture?
Why is it so hard for ISKCON to do something for its members that have dedicated their lives to the society?
Letter from Gandhari Dasi:
From: "gandhari zeppetello" - gandhariz@hotmail.com
Subject: Denver Temple Evicts Gurukulis
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 1997 15:25:08 PST
Attention all Devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The Denver temple is in the process of taking two 2nd generation gurukula devotees to court, to evict them from their parent's basement. They have been paying rent for the past year, and yet the temple has constantly threatened to kick them out. It is quite ironic that temples think they can take gurukulis to court, when we are the ones who threatened the GBC a year ago that we would begin a class action lawsuit against ISKCON for child abuse, if they didn't start helping gurukulis. The temple has stated they will get a sheriff to throw our belongings out in the snow, if we do not move out, and yet the temple has failed to give us any good reasons as to why we can't rent a basement under our family.
The GBC promised gurukulis that they would do everything in their power to assist 2nd generation youth, to make up for all of the horrendous abuse that took place in the gurukulas when we were children. Uddhava was separated from his family for years while his mother was collecting laksmi to support ISKCON'S temples. He wants to be with his family for once in his life, but this is asking too much from the temple.
Over the past year, we have paid rent and done service, and have tried to cooperate with the authorities. Since the first hour of our arrival, we have been harassed, our names have been slandered, lies have been told about us by Kamalini and Apurva about Uddhava and his entire family. ISKCON Denver has told us that they make the decisions, and do not have to abide by the GBC's decision to help gurukulis. They want our basement for new bhaktas who haven't even been made yet, and in the meantime there have been several vacant houses in the past year. The authorities feel it is appropriate to evict gurukulis out on to the street, in order to make room for new devotees. I wonder what Prabhupada would have to say to this?
So far, we have written to numerous GBC members and other elderly devotees in the movement, but no one has been able to sway them to do the right thing. The temple commander, Madan Gopala, has told us that because they have the power to discriminate against us, then they will.
Uddhava and I are both responsible devotees who are working and going to school. All we want is to be together as a family and to rent a basement under his family. We were already TORN APART from our families as children, why should it be done again? We are kindly begging any devotees assistance in this matter. If ISKCON continues ignoring the 2nd generation and giving them the short end of the stick all the time, then in the long run they will pay the price. Apparently, ISKCON leaders haven't realized the resentment of the 2nd generation. So please, in the interest of Srila Prabhupada's movement, take this situation and that of all gurukulis most seriously.
Your servant,
Gandhari Dasi
Letter from Pratyatosa Dasa:
Subject: Re: Denver Temple Evicts Gurukulis
Dear Mother Gandhari,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I read your sincere letter.
Here's something that I found on the Internet which seems to apply to the present day ISKCON, especially to the temple president and GBC of ISKCON Denver:
http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/PETERPR.html
(Begin copied text)
The generalized "Peter Principle"
The Peter Principle was first introduced by L. Peter in a humoristic book (of the same title) describing the pitfalls of bureaucratic organization. The original principle states that "in a hierarchically structured administration, people tend to be promoted up to their 'level of incompetence'." The principle is based on the observation that in such an organization new employees typically start in the lower ranks, but when they prove to be competent in the task to which they are assigned, they get promoted to a higher rank. This process of climbing up the hierarchical ladder can go on indefinitely, until the employee reaches a position where he or she is no longer competent. At that moment the process typically stops, since the established rules of bureaucracies make that it is very difficult to "demote" someone to a lower rank, even if that person would be much better fitted and more happy in that lower position. The net result is that most of the higher levels of a bureaucracy will be filled by incompetent people, who got there because they were quite good at doing a different (and usually, but not always, easier) task than the one they are expected to do.
(End of copied text)
Here something else that seems to apply particularly well to ISKCON Denver:
http://vaishnava-news-network.org/editorials/971226-1430/index.html
(Begin copied text)
Let's Get The Socialism Out Of ISKCON
By Dharmapada Das (Dean De Lucia)
Socialism can be defined as a form of political governance in which the ruling body restricts pluralism and the right to come and go freely, even imposing itself on the personal business of an individual. One's private life is structured for him, at least to a great degree.
The results of socialism can be seen in the stagnant societies which have been formed by it: The former Soviet Union, communist China, and Cuba. Wholesale alienation of the governed, a lack of initiative, and economic as well as social constriction instead of expansion have been experienced.
Unfortunately, ISKCON has also organised itself along rather socialistic lines and typically suffered as a result.
[...]
A devotee's personal affairs, such as marriage, childbirth, his children's marriage, the right to work, where and how he can work, how much he can earn, etc., are all subject to scrutiny or worse in this community. This usually means that a devotee has to get permission to do these things. These affairs are not absolutely determined for him, but his freedom in these regards is severely restricted by the society. And that is what socialism does- it restricts one's personal rights and conditions one's ownership. It does not do so absolutely- that would be more akin to communism. I'm not comparing the movement's management style to absolute communism.
[...]
(End of copied text)
My personal experience in spending a few months living at ISKCON Denver is that their policies are "show-bottle" and "hypocritical". For example, they profess to have a rule that everyone must attend the morning program every day, and everyone must work 40 hours a week doing "temple service", in order to live on the temple property, and be maintained by the temple. However, these rules are not uniformly applied. If you are a "yes-man" then you are allowed to break the rules, but if you are a true "brahmin, ksatriya or vaisa" type, like to have some freedom, like to think for yourself, and are in the habit of speaking the truth, even though it may sometimes be unpalatable, like Srila Prabhupada told us we should do, then the rules are used as a weapon against you.
The TP, rather than attending the whole morning program, has the totally outrageous and offensive habit of walking out of mangal arati before it's half over, every day that he's not leading the kirtan! The temple commander was personally observed by myself going into the stool room outside the temple room -- the one that the karmi guests use -- on his way to mangal arati! The temple leaders also seem to think nothing of going in and out of the stool room while engaged in cooking for the Deities. They also have some weird, concocted ritual of offering obeisances to all of the assembled devotees when first entering the temple room in the morning, which is very annoying to someone who is trying to concentrate on chanting his rounds.
At the same time, they pretend to be very spiritually advanced, very Krishna conscious, more so than any other temple, even though their standards of Radha Krishna Deity worship are actually very low.
So, what is the solution to your problem? If you could take your case to the local newspaper, radio talk shows, or even the local television news, it might be a real breakthrough on the side of forcing these ISKCON leaders to start to "see the light". You also might try going to the ACLU. If all this fails, move into a local apartment, while still associating with the Deities and devotees as much as, or even more than before. Do this even if it increases your expenses, requiring you to work longer hours, and requiring you to take longer to complete your education. ISKCON leaders, especially TPs, seem to come and go like the wind, so we just have to be a little patient!
You've got your whole life ahead of you. What's the rush? We have an ISKCON guru who's going to college at age 50! You're way ahead of him! It took 5 years for me to complete a four year degree program, even though I lived with my parents, and had a scholarship that covered all tuition and fees. Then my life was interrupted by 2 years of military service, something that you don't have to face at the present time.
I am praying to Srila Prabhupada and to Lord Sri Krishna to please help you, and your husband, in your struggle. Please do not lose hope, but simply depend upon Krishna and His devotees.
Your servant, Pratyatosa Dasa (http://www.com.org/stl/ptd/)
