Almost two years ago the Cost of Silence documentary covered the extensive child abuse, both historic and current, that has plagued the the Hare Krishna movement, and the inadequate initiative of ISKCON’s leadership to tackle this pandemic.
Part Two looks at what’s happened since. How the the leadership responded to address this pervasive problem.
When the Cost of Silence first came out I hoped that raising awareness on the extent of the child abuse problem in ISKCON would motivate the devotee community to give careful consideration to the issue, and inspire some constructive changes; I never imagined there would be a need for a follow up…
Over the years I have repeatedly observed the GBC make decisions that were detrimental for child protection. But some recent developments that have unfolded in the last two years highlight the extent of their willFul disregard for the plight of the children. Two years ago, it may have been still possible to give them the benefit of the doubt that they didn’t know the full extent of the child abuse problem. That perhaps they had been so busy and distracted with their cumbersome managerial responsibilities that the welfare of children had slipped out of their sphere of awareness… Unfortunately, today it is no longer possible to afford them this benefit.
As you watch the Cost of Silence II, you will see how the GBC have not only failed in their duty to protect the children, but also how they have gone a step further and knowingly placed them in harms way… Almost two years ago the Cost of Silence documentary covered the extensive child abuse, both historic and current, that has plagued the the Hare Krishna movement, and the inadequate initiative of ISKCON’s leadership to tackle this pandemic. Part Two looks at what’s happened since. How the the leadership responded to address this pervasive problem. When the Cost of Silence first came out I hoped that raising awareness on the extent of the child abuse problem in ISKCON would motivate the devotee community to give careful consideration to the issue, and inspire some constructive changes; I never imagined there would be a need for a follow up… Over the years I have repeatedly observed the GBC make decisions that were detrimental for child protection. But some recent developments that have unfolded in the last two years highlight the extent of their willFul disregard for the plight of the children. Two years ago, it may have been still possible to give them the benefit of the doubt that they didn’t know the full extent of the child abuse problem. That perhaps they had been so busy and distracted with their cumbersome managerial responsibilities that the welfare of children had slipped out of their sphere of awareness… Unfortunately, today it is no longer possible to afford them this benefit. As you watch the Cost of Silence II, you will see how the GBC have not only failed in their duty to protect the children, but also how they have gone a step further and knowingly placed them in harms way…
These FISKCON ratbag GBC’s shouldn’t be referred to as “Maharaja”, so the attempt to reform these demons is a waste of time. Better to avoid them altogether as they couldn’t care less about your kids and they don’t care about you! These dogs should be strung-up on the nearest lamp post as they neither care about Srila Prabhupada, Krishna or sincere vaisnavas so why would someone with even half a brain put their kids in the hands of these Crypto-Jew misfits?
So why talk about “successes” and “victories” this is pure delusion as these kids are taught to ”respect” these scum, so ANY ASSOCIATION WITH THESE CRYPTO-JEW FILTH HAS GOT TO BE POISON! Can you teach a serpent not to bite? Can you teach a scorpion not to sting? I don’t think so! So why are you grovelling to them, calling them “maharaja” as asking them to not molest these kids? Avoid them altogether! They are demonic, liars, sleeze-bags, psychopaths and pretenders. If you have to deal with them personally then take to them with a baseball bat! These filth can ONLY be purified by pain! Wake up to yourself! We have been down that road before decades ago and they are just getting WORSE BY THE DAY! STOP WASTING YOUR TIME! THEY ARE JUST JACKALS! AND THEY HAVE GOT YOU EATING OUT OF THEIR HANDS!
Srimad Bhagavatam Predictions… (Already true).
SB 12.3.33 — The brahmacārīs will fail to execute their vows and become generally unclean, the householders will become beggars (Govt benefits, dole etc), the vānaprasthas will live in the villages, and the sannyāsīs will become greedy for wealth.
SB 12.3.38 — Uncultured men will accept charity on behalf of the Lord and will earn their livelihood by making a show of austerity and wearing a mendicant’s dress. THOSE WHO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT RELIGION WILL MOUNT A HIGH SEAT AND PRESUME TO SPEAK ON RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
What terrible things to say! I can’t believe it..
I was present, or at least I used to visit Melbourne Mahaprabhu Mandir during the early 80s whilst Balarama das was Temple President, and although I did witness some shenanigans going on regarding a certain other robed and shaven devotee – in no way did I ever see either Balaram das or Kurma the Chef act unscrupulously. Ever.
Sure, some or most of us had our reservations about the ZAS but out of respect for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s legacy no-one dared to cause any ruckus unless irrefutable proof saw daylight. I myself refused the opportunity to get initiated by Bhavananda because I had not been following the four regs and doing the requisite number of rounds. It felt like cheating, too easy, “Vishnupad’s offer” so I declined. I may not be an initiated disciple but that doesn’t necessarily make me a stupid idiot or a complete fool. At least I hope not!
Prabhu, I hope you have strong spiritual conviction and many thousands of lifetimes of credits because in attacking such devotees with your venomous diatribe, without any saving grace surely you have paved a very treacherous path for your salvation.
Oh. Out of fairness to you, I think you deserve the opportunity to back up your claims with ‘proofs’. But I fear they will be wanting. In fact I am sure of it.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his devotees. Ki jay!
Ys Sam
हरे कृष्ण
I’m prompted to reply to this nasty attack on Balaram Prabhu from Kurma Das as it is completely ill-informed, malicious and unwarranted! The sudden announcement of Bhavananda;s fall-down (of illicit sexual relations with an Indian taxi driver) in the mid eighties came as a big shock for everyone! including Balaram Prabhu! I was there in Melbourne in 1986 (as were most of the Australian Yatra) to hear Bhavananda’s apology to all the devotees and to re-affirm that he was standing down and assuming a more minor role. Prior to this the Australian Yatra was sending great amounts of Laxmi to build the Mayapur infrastructure, buildings, pushpa samadhi, and accommodations etc, so for myself and many others this was straight ”out of the blue!”.
This was over 30 years ago so it stands to reason that some of the ideas that were prevalent then, have only (in the last 15-20 years) come to be exposed, such as the 11 bogus “zonal gooroo” system, the poison issue, ritvik issue, book changes etc etc. at least for the vast majority of devotees.
Everyone in Australia in the 80s could see that the Melbourne Temple was maintained to a very high standard of diety worship, food preparation and kirtana standards etc and I for one always relished the chance to visit, as the devotees were very pukka and courteous, and welcoming (even offering to do service such as laundry, towels etc for visiting devotees, which of course I myself declined, as I did not want to take service from anyone).
Srila Prabhupada’s room was always immaculately clean and well presented and this can mostly be attributed to Balaram Prabhu. That is not to say that some persons were told to leave the temple, such as Bali Mardana (as cooking fish in the temple kitchen is a breech of the 4 regulative principals!) and some others who were causing a disturbance.
Balaram Prabhu drafted a written letter (post 2000) apologizing to all the devotees for any offences he may have committed as TP, and apart from a few persons being ‘shown the door’ I think Kurma’s Das’s rant putting him in ‘the same category’ as mass murderer, convicted felon, homosex-pedophile and madman Kirtananda is in itself a DISGRACE and should be immediately withdrawn! What has prompted this ill-informed outburst from Kurma Das?
Balaram Prabhu has shown that we can all learn from our past imperfections and be ‘part of the solution’ in helping each other to better our understanding of Srila Prabhupada’s mission as I know as ‘the further back I look, in my own life THE MORE IMPERFECTIONS THERE ARE! I have read some of other previous writings of Kurma Das and concluded that there was some merit in them, but this attack on Balaram Prabhu is completely UNWARRANTED AND SHOULD BE CHALLENGED!
Daso Smi
Sudarsana
Excellent quote by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja Prabhupada on the Krishna’s children ‘link’ (at the end of the article!)
The truth (satya) is propagated in a twofold way viz. positively or by the method of direct support and negatively by the method of opposition. The truth cannot be made sufficiently known by the positive method alone. Propaganda by the method of opposition more than the presentation of the positive aspect brings about more brilliantly in this world the appearance and glorification of the truth. The positive method by itself is not the most effective mode of propaganda in a controversial Age like the present. The negative method which seeks to differentiate the Truth from non Truth in all its forms, is even better calculated to convey the directly inconceivable significance of the Absolute. It is a necessity which cannot be conscientiously avoided by the dedicated preacher of the Truth if he wants to be loyal servant of Godhead. The method is sure to create an atmosphere of controversy in which it is quite easy to lose one’s balance of judgement. But the ways of the deluding energy are so intricate that unless their mischevious nature is fully exposed it is not possible for the soul in the conditioned state to avoid the snares spread by the enchantress for encompassing the ruin of her only too willing victims. It is a duty which shall be sacred to all who have been enabled to obtain even a distant glimpse of the Abolute.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, The Harmonist 25 N. 1 June 1927