Dervish

Achaman upon the head.

Thancs Prabhu. Best some bloop in ISKCOn, then stay in all time blooping GM.

I came here for Krsna consciousness, not institution consciousness.

I'm very glad you benefit from reading it, but I can't say that I agree with your sectarian interpretation.

When I read the passage, I felt the meaning was that a lot of people would bloop along the way.

But this thing makes me wonder if foregoing formal Deity worship wouldn't make sense in Moslem countries.

If you're doing preaching in these Muslim countries, it should be one of the last things introduced to new bhaktas there. God and images don't mix in the Muslim faith, this is one thing ingrained into every Muslim. Best to focus on Kirtan, since it's similar to the Sufi zikr.

Still, I don't like the idea of compromising. If the ISKCON temple president's words were accurately translated and he wasn't being sarcastic (i.e. look at us idol worshippers, we did something useful in a muslim country eh?), perhaps the words spoken are a result of having repeated association with those who are completely inimical to Krsna and archana.

Sorry about the experience with the Hindu. The conversation you described, I've heard several variations of, so it must be a common attitude /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Perhaps the ISKCON president was using those terms in a sarcastic sense. Either way, it doesn't seem right.

Indeed, there is trouble in River City ...

It's all about invoking the desire for Krsna dasya in our hearts. If Krsna would do this for us, then we'd never experience this hellish material world existence.

Why do the stupid Iraqis think they're being 'occupied'?

Since the government has been overthrown (and I agree, Saddam was very bad), the US has stepped in civil and military matters. Therefore, Iraq is under occupation, and will be at least until the self imposed deadline by the Bush Administration (June 30) is expended. The true debate is not whether Iraq is occupied or not, but whether it's a necessary occupation (i.e. when Germany was occupied by Allied Forces in 1945), or a bad occupation.

But I suppose if all them are "stupid Iraqis", they deserve occupation regardless of conditions. Sort of like when the British told Gandhi that the Indian people were not able to rule themselves.

If these Muslims are truly sincere, they should make food for the poor themselves. This is part of zakat, one of the pillars of THEIR Islam!

Not only does Christ absolute your sins merely by confession, but to some people, the Christian afterlife might look better to those only seeking some Afterlife Rewards Program. The Jehovah's Witnesses used to come to my house. In their Awake magazine, they had a picture of heaven, an idyllic countryside. This is what God has given to us! Bah, who wants to serve God in the afterlife??? It's bad enough we have to serve God in this life! Those weren't their exact words, but part of their sales pitch is selling heaven.

I still think that for Rick, it was a woman that caught his eye. There is an old Sufi story about a Fakir with several disciples, and this fakir saw a Christian woman, fell madly in love, and became a swineherd on her farm (and for Muslims, this is a big deal). His disciples mourned his departure, and they sought another master. The other Sufi Master told them that they must follow their old master wherever he goes, for this is who they originally committed themselves to. If he became a Christian swineherd, then they all must go that direction. So they went to their old master, and they all spoke this intention. The old master was embarassed by this, returned to his Sufi mysticism, and converted his Christian wife.

Did anyone ever see the one volume bhagavatam on there before? I've never seen it, but if I did, I'd pounce on it in an instant /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Srila Prabhupada was once told by one of his disciples that while chanting he experienced a blue light surrounding him. Prabhupada replied, "Keep chanting and it will go away."

Hmmm, let's seeee ... Cowherder or carpenter? Blue complexion, or olive complexion?

They married and started living their lives totally for Jesus

Ahhh, so a lady was involved! I understand now /images/graemlins/wink.gif

I wonder who Rick was associated with? Which mission and which Guru. It means little now, it's just my excessively curious nature. If George Harrison was allegedly his sole inspiration as an elder western devotee figure, that is negative commentary on the devotee community he was from.

All I can say is ... he'll be back /images/graemlins/wink.gif

I think if Bob Dylan writes a song about him, it may help his cause ...

Nice feedback! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hey, let's talk about Vimanas!

Leave your e-mail, I'll give you the time and place.

Be careful, though. They are secretive, and are very sensitive (and I don't blame disciples to be sensitive toward their guru). Best not to ask about secrecy, or endeavor to go just because of novel curiousity. Read his pamphlets (they sell them at Down to Earth), watch his TV show, and then ask yourself if you want to go. I recommend meeting many gurus, and spending much time as possible before making any kind of commitment.

It doesn't have to be deadly. If you can lose part of one of your limbs, that's pretty bad. The people of the Middle East must have some heavy karma with such things as these camel spiders and scorpions running around; not to mention the wars and overtly tyranical governments. /images/graemlins/frown.gif I think I'm going to check out this species on one of those nature websites, find out what regions they live, and make it a rule never to go there.

EDIT: Never mind, apparently, according to the Lycos article, reports are greatly exaggerated, but there is still a scare factor.

atyähäraù prayäsas ca

prajalpo niyamägraha

jana-saìgas ca laulyam ca

ñaòbhir bhaktir vinasyati

One’s devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too entangled in the following six activities: (1) eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) overendeavoring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters; (4) Practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krsna consciousness; and (6) being greedy for mundane achievements.

Look at the Roman Empire. Eventually the Roman Empire became a welfare society and outsourced all their important jobs (soldiers, etc.) and they also became depraved despite Constantine's acception of Christianity. Like all material empires, the US will also have a decline. It will either be dramatic like the fall of the Roman Empire, or quiet and subtle like the British Empire.

The USA is already in the process of waning. Between outsourcing, ignorant masses within, the gradual loss of civil rights, and the increasing depravity, it will eventually become no better than places like Russia. But I believe by then the American people will become interested in spirituality again.

It's only a few hours. Try preaching to some groupies who are deeply engrossed in tama guna. You'd be surprised of the results sometimes.

Yashoda-nandana prabhu ki jaya!

I really like Theist Prabhu's answer. Most any other answer would be just a tertiary followup.

I believe Srila Prabhupad came at a time when people's minds were very fertile for spiritual enlightenment. As many Americans took to Krsna consciousness, people from other nations followed suit.

Today, we live in a time where people are jaded. Tolerance for unconventional forms of spirituality is much lower than it was during the 1960's and 1970's. The cost of living is now significantly higher.

I think Krsna consciousness will experience a resurgence, but probably at a time when our style of living has significantly changed, and everyone is looking for illumination of the spirit.

Any Gaudiya missions in Nepal?