A History of Cow Abuse in ISKCON

[Guest guest]

But Lrod Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada are not.

 

COM: Madhava Gosh (das) ACBSP (New Vrindavan - USA)

<Madhava.Gosh.ACBSP (AT) bbt (DOT) se>

talavan (AT) com (DOT) org <talavan (AT) com (DOT) org>; COM: Cow (Protection and related

issues) <Cow (AT) bbt (DOT) se>; COM: Varnasrama development

<Varnasrama.development (AT) bbt (DOT) se>

Thursday, November 11, 1999 4:50 AM

Re: A History of Cow Abuse in ISKCON

 

 

>[Text 2771099 from COM]

>

>

>

>"WWW: Rohita (Dasa) ACBSP (New Talavan MS - USA)" wrote:

>

>> [Text 2769448 from COM]

>>

>> Dvibhuja dasa

>> Ø Once a devotee asked Srila Prabhupada if we should farm

communally

>or

>> seperate and he replied that faming meant communally.

>>

>> I believe this is the quote he is referring to, from conversations with

>> devotees on August 1, 1975 in New Talavan.

>>

>> Nityänanda: The householders on our farm, they should cooperate and

produce

>> the food centrally or every householder should produce his own food

>> independently?

>> Prabhupäda: No. Why they are living in a community centrally? Commu nity

>means

>> work everything for the community.

>> Devotee: Some men can cultivate the fields, some men can take care of the

>> cows, some menI They can (indistinct) responsible.

>> Prabhupäda: No, it is service (?).

>

>There is a distinct difference between commuinty and communally.

Communally is

>a

>function of common ownership. Community is a function of common goals.

>

>For instance, it is not necessary that every family owns there own apple

>press.

>The time it takes to set it up and clean it, for a small amount of apples

or

>grapes, may be prohibitive, but if I could take my juice apples to

someone

>who

>is going to be juicing all day, and give a portion of the juice in

exchange,

>my

>time is better utilised.

>

>The extra juice the juice man makes he can trade to someone who specialized

in

>drying tomatoes, etc. That seems to be what Srila Prabhupada is saying.

In

>communal living, none wants to prune the trees, compost them, keep the

grass

>down, pick the apples or press them. But they will all show up to drink

the

>juice.

>

>Communism doesn't work.

>

>The communal aspect of doing things may have some limited application

within a

>larger community, but doesn't work as the dominant way of organization.

>Ownership turns sand into gold, and vice versa. I am currently observing

the

>systematic dismantling and destruction of New Vrindaban by the leadership

that

>still functions on a communal paradigm. The 70s are over guys, Trotsky

and

>Che

>are dead.

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Communism doesn't work.

>

> The communal aspect of doing things may have some limited application

> within a larger community, but doesn't work as the dominant way of

> organization. Ownership turns sand into gold, and vice versa. I am

> currently observing the systematic dismantling and destruction of New

> Vrindaban by the leadership that still functions on a communal paradigm.

> The 70s are over guys, Trotsky and Che are dead.

 

Dvibhuja das wrote:

 

> But Lrod Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada are not.

 

So would you say they where promoting Communism for their devotees as a

social and economical form of living?

[Guest guest]

Martin wrote:

 

> [Text 2771581 from COM]

>

> But Lrod Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada are not.

 

And? Please show where they ever espoused communism as a means for societal

organization. The proferred quote certainly didn't.

 

Commu nity

 

> >means

> >> work everything for the community.

> >> Devotee: Some men can cultivate the fields, some men can take care of the

> >> cows, some menI They can (indistinct) responsible.

 

It doesn't say working for the commune.

[Guest guest]

I would say that this ISKCON was founded by Srila Prabhupada and in my

experience it functions nicely if we are in the fire so to speak. So It

would seem prdent to understand how to increase our attachement to the

devotional process, not just consider it useless because some people find it

not to their likeing.

Please don't misunderstand I can comprehend that sometimes change comes as

we more realize the instructions of Guru and Gouranga however in the case of

devotees becoming independent in all aspects of our service, this is not

always the way. I know in the case of a car or something if you own it you

tend to take better care of it, but what if you should happen to truly

understand that the car belongs to Krishna and gradually by the Grace of

Guru and Gouranga one develops some attachment to pleasing Krishna. Then at

that point the car would be better taken care of because we want to please

Krishna. So the problem could be that we don't love Krishna enough. Not

that the car belongs to ISKCON or me. So this I believe can work also

although one doesn't have to exclude the other.

One has to admit that at some point we have to have some type of communal

effort. If you distribut Prasadam, someone has to own the van, the pots,

and have a bank balance to pay for the gas. So If that someone happens to

be an ISKCON temple president who is inspired to serve in this way, then

does that not mean communism of a sort. Of course this che crap is for

those who worship che. We worship Srila Prabhupada and therefore we see

that he is pleased when we work cooperatively together. Actually everything

is owned by the Brahmanas already so we have nothing to give to them. This

is stated by Maharaj Prthu in the fourth canto. So everything ultimately

belongs to Krishna. So where is the question of our owning something.

But of course the point is what works to spread this Sankirtana movement

and in relation to cow protection, it is not philosophical. Show me how you

will take 150 cows and tell somebody here don't kill them, sell them, make

sure you feed them nicely all at your own expense, and its ok if you take

some milk for selling. It just isn't going to work. We spend many

thousands of dollars each year maintaining the cows here. So my experience

is most people who want just the independence wants the part of the cow that

makes the milk, not the part that takes the feed. So does it matter whethe

you call it communism or demoncrazy or whatever, if we are sold out to

please Srila Prabhupada the burden of cow protection will overwhelm us and

we will be dwelling in the same planet Drumilla is going to unless he

receives the special mercy of the Lord which of course is possible because

this is Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement.

 

YS

Dvibhuja Das

 

COM: Harsi (das) HKS (Timisoara - RO) <Harsi.HKS (AT) bbt (DOT) se>

Martin <laksmi (AT) datastar (DOT) net>; COM: Cow (Protection and related issues)

<Cow (AT) bbt (DOT) se>; COM: Varnasrama development <Varnasrama.development (AT) bbt (DOT) se>

Thursday, November 11, 1999 11:20 AM

Re: A History of Cow Abuse in ISKCON

 

 

>[Text 2771985 from COM]

>

>>

>> Communism doesn't work.

>>

>> The communal aspect of doing things may have some limited application

>> within a larger community, but doesn't work as the dominant way of

>> organization. Ownership turns sand into gold, and vice versa. I am

>> currently observing the systematic dismantling and destruction of New

>> Vrindaban by the leadership that still functions on a communal paradigm.

>> The 70s are over guys, Trotsky and Che are dead.

>

>Dvibhuja das wrote:

>

>> But Lrod Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada are not.

>

>So would you say they where promoting Communism for their devotees as a

>social and economical form of living?

>

[Guest guest]

If the King is Krishna, who would mind working for Hime? It is just

semantics anyway. We are devotees and to try and legislate this ism or that

ism isn't them message of Lord Caitanya or Srila Prabhupada, the message is

simple that we surrender everything to Krishna. So you say well you should

not be communal in your surrender, but everything should be owned by Grhasta

and I say how do you propose to do that with cow protection. Lets don't

argue isms, what can be done now. On one hand you are crying the GBC has to

make sure that cows are being protected and on the other you are saying they

should be controlled by Grhasta. Please explain one example of where there

is any Grhasta taking care of 150 cows by himself. And if he is do you

think the GBC would be allowed to send the cows their when other temples in

His or Her zone has the need in order to protect the cow. Please just give

me your vision of how to protect comws without communal cooperation. Please

anybocy give me one practical example of how to do this in ISKCON. Not when

Ksatriyas ruled the earth or some other distant time. Right here and now or

even 30 or 40 years in the future. How to do it? That is what I mean. You

can call it communism if you want but the cows have to be protected by those

who do it to please Krishna and unfortunately show me the person right now

who can do it alone. Or one that can do it without remuneration of some

sort. For Gods sake many times the pujaris are paid in ISKCON, and they

don't even have to slosh trought the mud in the freezing weather, or be

kicked oar have to chase calves and mothers sometimes. So again I have all

respect for the concept that in general people are more inclined to work if

they are well remenunerated which is sort of what is being put forth, but

Cow protection is not like that in reality. It is not profitable in the

mundane sense. If it was it would be the Vedic culture. The milk is cheap,

but the meat is the most materialistically desirable. So if its my dairy,

then who the hell are you or some GBC to tell me I can't sell some cows to

maintain the rest of the herd. Already this has happened. But everyone

even Mother Hare Krishna is so busy shooting down the ISKCON projects and

then Maharj comes up with this lets us privatize utopian idea, when actually

the problem is where is your devotion to fixing the system we have. Oh the

system is wrong, thats why it doesn't work. Not Drumilla should never have

been in charge of a temple therefore it is the problem of management not the

system. The system may change but no matter what system it is if we are not

Krishna Conscious it will be a failure.

Again I ask anyone to tell me in a practical sense what should be done.

Don't just criticize that o NV has so much blood on their hands, Saranagati

di this, etc. Those things are of course to be corrrected, but what do you

suppose can be done to make sure that the temples are better equipped to

gradually reach that platform we are all striving for. When the oxens are

engaged properly according to Srila Prabhupada's desire, when mother cows

milk is appreciated by everyone devotees and karmis alike. In the form of

yogurt,butter,ghee,butter,curd,etc. I wish that at least someone would be a

little more practical about helping these communities that are striving to

actually implement cow protection. Not just sit back and say Oh can you

beleive they did this or that. Half the time it is an exxageration anyway

and the other half it was corrected already and the other half are trying

their best. So we sat back and do our little thing and say look at those

skinny cows. So in this way Drumillas flourish. Where is the actual

commitment. Is it time to milk. How can I adopt a team of oxen. Can I

help bring some devotees to some farm and start this oxen program. I guess

not unless you can make a buck right?

 

YS

Dvibhuja Das

 

COM: Madhava Gosh (das) ACBSP (New Vrindavan - USA)

<Madhava.Gosh.ACBSP (AT) bbt (DOT) se>

laksmi (AT) datastar (DOT) net <laksmi (AT) datastar (DOT) net>; COM: Cow (Protection and

related issues) <Cow (AT) bbt (DOT) se>; COM: Varnasrama development

<Varnasrama.development (AT) bbt (DOT) se>

Thursday, November 11, 1999 2:10 PM

Re: A History of Cow Abuse in ISKCON

 

 

>[Text 2772250 from COM]

>

>

>

>Martin wrote:

>

>> [Text 2771581 from COM]

>>

>> But Lrod Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada are not.

>

>And? Please show where they ever espoused communism as a means for

societal

>organization. The proferred quote certainly didn't.

>

>Commu nity

>

>> >means

>> >> work everything for the community.

>> >> Devotee: Some men can cultivate the fields, some men can take care of

the

>> >> cows, some menI They can (indistinct) responsible.

>

>It doesn't say working for the commune.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

 

Hare Krsna dasi (Brunswick, Maine - USA)

10-Nov-99 23:17

Malati (dd) ACBSP (Columbus - USA) [5729] (received: 10-Nov-99

Cow (Protection and related issues) [3874]

Cc: Free Forum (Announcements) [3577] (sender: Mukhya (dd) (SysOp)

 

"COM: Malati (dd) ACBSP (Columbus - USA)" wrote:

 

> [Text 2769531 from COM]

>

> Hare Krishna..Is there documentation proof as of this horror storey?

> (ie:some kind of facts to verify the statements?) I think this is very

> important in order to get your points across effectively and insure an

> adequate response.

>

> I could not eat lunch today as a result of reading your letter. Children,

> women, cows,....what/who is next?

 

Malati Prabhu

 

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

 

I'm not sure whether you are addressing me directly. (I never know if

devotees are addressing me unless they call me Hare Krsna dasi or Mother

Hare

Krsna -- that's a life-long joke my spiritual master played on me.)

 

Anyway, as for documentation. I have given what I could. The FBI has a

saying: "There is no justice without investigation." In general, our

policy

in ISKCON has been: We don't investigate. The Child Protection Office (is

that the correct name) is fortunately changing that. Investigation --

especially by impartial and thorough outside investigators -- costs money,

and unfortunately we have never wanted to spend that money to investigate

whether certain charges are factual. It's almost like a Catch 22 in ISKCON:

Don't bring up these allegations until we have investigated to see if they

are

true. And when do you plan to do that investigation? -- Never!

 

On the other hand, I have only quoted from sources whom I personally feel

are

credible. For example, when a devotee with the strength of character and

reputation for competent cow care of the stature of Syamasundara prabhu

states

that the mathematics for the Vrndavana and Mayapura gosalla indicates that

hundreds of cows are missing from what should be there, I give him very

strong

credence. His logic is very strong.

 

The fact that the GBC's have never investigated this situation and have

never

made any public apology for the unfortunate history of their projects is

very

disturbing to me. In fact, I must say that it makes me question their

qualification as spiritual leaders.

 

I am happy to see that you personally are working on reports for New

Vrndavana, etc. Much better late than never. The past history of New

Vrndavana should also be investigated. Once again, as Vyapaka prabhu points

out, the mathematics do not add up. According to the number of cows they

bred

per year, there should be many more cows there. The situation is somewhat

awkward because is seems that much of the problem took place while New

Vrndavana was not part of ISKCON. Nevertheless, those cows originally

belonged to ISKCON. They did not leave ISKCON when the leader of their

community became a demon. They were trapped there. So, still ultimately,

we

should take the responsibility.

 

On the other hand, any community can, on its own investigate its record of

abuses -- to the cows, to the children, to the women, and even to other

devotees -- it can work to come up with its true history, no matter how

shameful that history may be. Then it can present that history before the

devotees, before Srila Prabhupada and before the Deities. It can pray for

forgiveness and pray for the intelligence and the spirit of cooperation to

rectify the sins of the past. Out of such an act of purification can come

great hope and a very practical lesson for generations of the future not to

repeat our grievous errors.

 

I feel very strongly that much of our current troubles of quarrels come from

our failure to come to grips with our shameful history of cow abuse in

ISKCON. The GBC where abuse has occurred probably have a good idea of what

has happened. Certainly it is their duty to Srila Prabhupada to make sure

that the management of all their communities is going nicely. If cows are

being abused, it means that "all the affairs of management [are going] to

hell" as Srila Prabhupada states in the Seventh Canto.

 

How can ISKCON progress unless we atone for our offenses to Krsna's

messengers, the cows?

 

But it is so much more than simply clearing out the bad karma from our sins

of

the past (or even of the present). If only we will investigate this

situation

with the cows, when we seriously look for the answers to solve the problem

we

will change our way of life in a manner that will be much more conducive to

Krsna consciousness.

 

Sarve sukhino bhavantu -- Make Everyone Happy -- is what Srila Prabhupada

said

many times. And that begins with the cows. If we make arrangements so that

the cows can actually be taken care of nicely, it will require a complete

social restructuring. And that complete restructuring, to "thoroughly

overhaul society" as Prabhupada put it, will be into a society where

everyone

is treated well, and everyone is encouraged in his or her service to Krsna.

 

You ask what is next? What is next is abuse of the elderly -- that's you

and

me in a very few more years. That's really what is next -- unless we clean

up

ISKCON and beg Krsna for forgiveness for our spiritual blindness and our

sins

of the past.

 

Children, women, cows.... I just have to say that I was not surprised that

Vrndavana, which is noted for its history of child abuse, and which has

evidently lost several hundred cows over the years, was the site of the

recent

beatings of women. Vrndavana has never publicly apologized for its history

of

child abuse or cow abuse. This indicates a very weak spiritual leadership.

Thus, I am not at all surprised to hear about women abuse. These things are

all connected. Without a doubt there are many sincere devotees living and

serving Prabhupada there, including the current cowherd. However, when the

leadership is so weak that it will not apologize instantly and seek

atonement

for all its abuses to the children and cows and women, it creates a great

handicap for the general spiritual advancement of our society.

 

The question must be asked: Are people who will not uphold the principles

taught by Srila Prabhupada and the laws of ISKCON fit to be our spiritual

leaders?

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi

(Text COM:2769698) --------

[Guest guest]

These points are very pertinent. Legitimate criticism is good, but Mother

Hare Krishna who we all give great respect for her work is becoming guilty

of jumping the gun in the name of cow protection. She needs to understand

that she represents ISKCOWP and is the flag bearer of cow protection in

ISKCON, so she has to be more careful in her reporting of the situations

that surely always develop when trying to protect Krishna's cows. This may

be new ground but I think it time to address this issue of saying these

things without legitemate substaniation of the the issue.

Also the idea of giving some power to ISKCOWP. Possibly we could organize

a membership where `there was some positive organiztional function whereby

we could in a nonsecterain spirit function as an educational body as well as

a protectorate as well. Then in this mood funds could be raised via this

conference and perhaps this could be the beginning of a way to better serve

Srila Prabhupada's mission of cow and ox utilization and protection.

 

YS

Dvibhuja Das

 

WWW: Jiva Goswami (Dasa) SDG (Newnansville FL - USA) <JivaGo (AT) FDT (DOT) Net>

COM: Cow (Protection and related issues) <Cow (AT) bbt (DOT) se>; COM: Varnasrama

development <Varnasrama.development (AT) bbt (DOT) se>; Bir Krishna Goswami

<70324.1511 (AT) compuserve (DOT) com>; COM: Balavanta (das) ACBSP

<Balavanta.ACBSP (AT) bbt (DOT) se>; COM: Kalakantha (das) ACBSP (Alachua - USA)

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Monday, November 15, 1999 7:50 PM

A History of Cow Abuse in ISKCON

 

 

>[Text 2782095 from COM]

>

>On 08 Nov 1999, Hare Krsna dasi wrote:

>

>>

>>

>> Hare Krsna dasi 8 Nov 1999

>>

>> A History of Cow Abuse in ISKCON

>>

>> ***ABSTRACT: A recent incident of cow abuse in ISKCON has led to focus on

>> the alleged perpetrator of the crime, but cow abuse in ISKCON has been

>> widespread and on-going. ISKCON's history of cow abuse should be

analyzed

>> carefully, not simply to vilify certain individuals, but to examine how

>> organizational weaknesses lead to situations that foster abuse.

>..

>

>> 3. In about 1993 or 1994, I heard that through neglect, an ox wandered

>> into the hay barn at Gita-nagari, fell partway through the floor boards

>> and was slowly electrocuted to death by the barn's electrical system.

>> Also around that time, I had my heart broken to learn that Burfi, our

>> handsome Brown Swiss lead ox at Gita-nagari for 12 years - who had even

>> pulled a cart in front of the White House - was left for a number of days

>> to die in a mud hole in the freezing winter weather.

>> ...

>

>

>Reformation of cow protection in our society is an extremely important

task. I

>can't imagine that any follower of Srila Prabhupada could sell, give or

>whatever, cows for slaughter as described at Murari. I think I met that

>devotee years ago. I'm appalled. There is a sad legacy in ISKCON of

failure,

>abuse and neglect in nearly all areas: Book distribution, Deity worship,

>protection of children and women, fund raising, and on and on.

>

>Having said that, the above quoted "fact" concerning the ox falling through

>the floor in Gita Nagari is a gross misrepresentation. This was pointed out

a

>couple of years ago when the same author posted the same misinformation. I

can

>only assume that the balance of the 650+ line post is of the same

character.

>It is gossip on the National Inquirer/VNN standard. Maybe we need a Grocery

>Checkout Tabloid Conference. There is more than enough gossip in my remote

>corner of the world that I don't need it on a global level. This kind of

lack

>of objectivity, poor reasoning and demagoguery is far more pervasive and

>possibly closer to the core of ISKCON's problems than the particular issue

of

>the day. It certainly promotes apathy, as one doesn't know what to believe.

>The Vrindavan incident of late is another good example. Should I believe

these

>reports? The male chauvinist boor version? Or the feminist G.I. Jane

version?

>Should I still care? I actually prefer the Inquirer as I KNOW that story

about

>the baby switched at birth with an alien is just crap. It doesn't pretend

to

>be anything else.

>

>I'm interested in hearing about problems in our society and what is and/or

>what should be done about rectifying and atoning for the sins of the past.

I

>just wish that these kinds of sensationalized misrepresentations would not

>dominate the discussions. Thank God I've seen enough good in our society to

be

>able to put all the bad into perspective. The good has and still does

exist.

>Some times I wonder if some of our COM commentators ever get out? I'm more

or

>less useless, but even I go to the temple sometimes. We've had one great

>festival after another down here. I even got 3 loose ox back in their

fields

>just a couple of days ago.

>

>One solution to the particular problem of cow protection is to give the Cow

>Protection Minister real power. Big title looks good on the business card

but

>that's about it. How about giving the minister power to levy sanctions on

>neglectful GBC's, TP's or whoever. Real sanctions that could actually

>motivate.

>

>Your servant,

>

>Jiva Goswami das

>

[Guest guest]

Again the argument is for cow protection and ox utilization, not pottery and

even trunip growing. How one addresses the cow protection is different

because of the logisitics and the sacradness of the animals. Therefore how

do you propose to take care of the large numbers of cows we have now.

Certainly this is not philosophical. I say we have to encourage communal

support for our ISKCON and if you have some proposal of how to make the

transition, then please put it forth as this would be a start in the right

direction as you see it and perhaps all together we can start to improve

Iskcon cow protection and ox utilization.

 

YS

Dvibhuja Das

 

COM: Madhava Gosh (das) ACBSP (New Vrindavan - USA)

<Madhava.Gosh.ACBSP (AT) bbt (DOT) se>

laksmi (AT) datastar (DOT) net <laksmi (AT) datastar (DOT) net>; COM: Cow (Protection and

related issues) <Cow (AT) bbt (DOT) se>; COM: Varnasrama development

<Varnasrama.development (AT) bbt (DOT) se>

Monday, November 15, 1999 7:50 PM

Re: A History of Cow Abuse in ISKCON

 

 

>[Text 2782097 from COM]

>

>

>

>Martin wrote:

>

>> [Text 2772861 from COM]

>>

>> I would say that this ISKCON was founded by Srila Prabhupada and in my

>> experience it functions nicely if we are in the fire so to speak.

>

>Yes, it works great communally for some people for some time, but being

"in

>the fire" is not easily sustainable for most devotees.

>

>> So It

>> would seem prdent to understand how to increase our attachement to the

>> devotional process, not just consider it useless because some people find

it

>> not to their likeing.

>

>Here you seem to be equating devotional process with communalism. I don't

>think

>that is valid. Devotional service is not limited by socio economic

paradigms.

>However, you will find little in sastra to support communalism and much to

>support private ownership, although not exactly in the sense Americans

>percieve

>ownership. Limited forms of communalism will always have their place, but

not

>as an organizational vehicle for a greater mobilization of larger

populations.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Martin wrote:

 

> [Text 2783767 from COM]

>

> These points are very pertinent. Legitimate criticism is good, but Mother

> Hare Krishna who we all give great respect for her work is becoming guilty

> of jumping the gun in the name of cow protection. She needs to understand

> that she represents ISKCOWP

 

I don't believe Mother Hare Krishna dasi has any direct connection with ISCOWP.

[Guest guest]

> Therefore how

> do you propose to take care of the large numbers of cows we have now.

 

I keep feeling like you must not be reading my e mails because I have stated my

position numerous times, yet you continue to place demand on me to explain.

Apparently my powers of explanation are inadequate to communicate effectively

with you.

 

My proposals are contained in the Minimum Cow Standards that have been approved

by the GBC. I can answer questions, if you were to read the document.

Certainly the ideas are there in only bare bones fashion, but it is hard for

me

to fathom what it is you want? please read the Standards and then we could

have

some discussion on specific points, if they are not detailed enough.

[Guest guest]

>

> Just we should change the system.

 

We need to enhance and expand the system. The stress in the Cow Standards is

on

small scale, with involvement of a broader range of folks than just

specialized

cowherds.

 

This will manifest variously in various conditions.

[Guest guest]

On Tue, 16 Nov 1999, COM: Madhava Gosh (das) ACBSP (New Vrindavan - USA) wrote:

 

> [Text 2784870 from COM]

>

>

>

> Martin wrote:

>

> > [Text 2783767 from COM]

> >

> > These points are very pertinent. Legitimate criticism is good, but Mother

> > Hare Krishna who we all give great respect for her work is becoming guilty

> > of jumping the gun in the name of cow protection. She needs to understand

> > that she represents ISKCOWP

>

> I don't believe Mother Hare Krishna dasi has any direct connection with

ISCOWP.

 

 

Madhava Gosh prabhu is correct. I greatly admired the patient work that

Chaya and Balabhadra are doing for the Ministry of Cow Protection and

Agriculture -- and for ISCOWP (which is technically a separate entity),

but I am not directly connected with them. And, it is even possible that

they don't agree with my perspective or my methods in every instance. I

certainly did not consult with them before posting my letters on cow

slaughter at Murari or a history of cow abuse in ISKCON. That is my

independent activity, and no one else should be held accountable for my

personal actions.

 

I still hope that by calling attention to widespread allegations of cow

abuse in ISKCON, it will foster investigation, apology where warrented,

rectification and improvement in our policies and actions concerning cow

protection.

 

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi