Krishna Movement “Not Normal” — Russian Rabbi

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Krishna Movement "Not Normal" — Russian Rabbi

Created: 02.04.2004 17:52 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 19:04 MSK

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/04/02/krishna.shtml

 

MosNews

 

 

One of Russia's chief rabbis, Adolf Shayevich, has suggested the

Russian office of the International Society for Krishna

Consciousness build its temple on the Chukotka or Yamal Peninsula

instead of in Moscow, Interfax reported Friday. The rabbi called the

movement "mercantile" and "not normal" and at odds with the Russian

tradition. He said he was concerned the society was "making Russians

forget their roots and the country's religion".

 

Shayevich spoke following a presentation of a new design of a 38.5-

meter-high Krishna temple, which is equivalent to a six-storey

building. "Why should a Hindu temple be higher than most Orthodox

churches in an Orthodox country?" the rabbi asked.

 

"Russia does not have enough followers of this organization to build

such a gigantic temple. But if Krishna followers need such large

buildings, they can build them on the Chukotka or Yamal Peninsula or

somewhere else. There are a lot of places in the country," the rabbi

told Interfax.

 

"A Krishna temple in Moscow does not need to resemble a sports

complex in size. A good clean room is enough to pray," he said.

 

The rabbi said that the project pursued by the Society for Krishna

Consciousness will provoke a negative reaction not only from

religious people, but also from many Muscovites.

 

"If there are Krishna followers, let them pray, but everything must

have a limit. This is absolutely incomprehensible to me, a tolerant

person," he said.

 

Shayevich said he is surprised that the Society for Krishna

Consciousness is trying to convince Russians to practice its

religion. "When young people with an unmistakably Slavic appearance

shave their heads like Krishna followers and put on the robes of

Hindu ascetics, it looks artificial to other people. Why should such

things appear today if nothing of this nature has ever been on

Russian soil?" he said.

 

"Long years of atheism cut the ground from under our feet and

resulted in our losing our national (in a good sense of the word)

roots. This concerns all nationalities: Russians, Jews, Tatars. And

many people who have a poor understanding of their native culture

and roots easily switch between Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Krishna followers also have something to offer them," Shayevich

said.

 

"This is all not serious. This is mercantile. There is no strong

faith behind it," he said. "The Society for Krishna Consciousness

has taken advantage of the tragedy Russia faced in the 20th century

to bring more people into its ranks," the rabbi said.

 

This is not the first time the Hare Krishna temple has met with

protest. As MosNews reported last month, on March 22 about a

thousand people, most of them Orthodox Christians, gathered on

Pushkin Square to protest against the building.