ISKCONISKCONISKCONISKCON

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Cults and New Religious MovementsCults and New Religious MovementsRELS 225RELS 225

Cults and New Religious MovementsCults and New Religious Movements

Asian Influence in the Asian Influence in the USAUSA

Asian Influence in the Asian Influence in the USAUSA

• Turn to the East in 1965-1975• 1924 Asian Exclusion Act until 1965

• Hinduism• 4 million practicing Transcendental

Meditation in the US at one point• Ragneesh (“Osho” from 1989 on)

• Pete Townsend (the Who)• “Between 1969 and 1971 Townsend, along

with other devotees to Meher Baba, recorded a trio of albums devoted to the yogi's teachings: Happy Birthday, I Am, and With Love.” See O Parvardigar

1893: World Parliament 1893: World Parliament of Religionsof Religions

1893: World Parliament 1893: World Parliament of Religionsof Religions

• Next to the World Fair in Chicago

• Attended by thousands

• Dominantly Christian, but some Shinto, Zen, Hindu practitioners.

• Small, unassuming Hindu was the star: Vivekananda

ISKCON (Hare Krishna)ISKCON (Hare Krishna)ISKCON (Hare Krishna)ISKCON (Hare Krishna)

• Mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

• George Harrison (After the breakup of the Beatles)

• My Sweet Lord• All his love songs: he’s not singing to a

woman.• Boy George

History of Hare KrishnaHistory of Hare KrishnaHistory of Hare KrishnaHistory of Hare Krishna

• A sect of Hinduism.• Not really a NRM.• Only new to us in North

America.• “Hinduism” is multi-

form, although now it is becoming homogenized.

• Krishna Consciousness is from the Middle Ages in the form of Gaudiya Vaishnava .

• ISKCON founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Two styles of Hinduism: Two styles of Hinduism: Monism & BhaktiMonism & Bhakti

Two styles of Hinduism: Two styles of Hinduism: Monism & BhaktiMonism & Bhakti

• Monism• Philosophical• The One (Theosophy)• Rooted in the Upanishads (5th Century BCE)• Brahman is One.• Chandayoga Upanishad: “Tat vam asi” “That art

thou”• Become ready for this by practicing yoga.• Surrender to a guru.

• Humiliation to show non-egoism• Key to salvation is knowing (knowledge)

• Only when you have correct knowledge do you know how to love.

Two styles of Hinduism: Two styles of Hinduism: Monism & BhaktiMonism & Bhakti

Two styles of Hinduism: Two styles of Hinduism: Monism & BhaktiMonism & Bhakti

• Bhakti• Devotion• ISKCON falls into this category• Like Christianity, with a God of Love.• Out of true love comes knowledge.• Bhagavad Gita

• Krishna plays a flute, advises Arjuna:• Arjuna has a dilemma: killing relatives in

battle.• Lesson: no choice but to fight and fulfill your

social duty as a warrior. Do your duty without concern for personal benefit.

• How? Focus attention on me & I will assist you to do it with purity & detachment.

Medieval OriginsMedieval OriginsMedieval OriginsMedieval Origins

• Krishna bhakti movement founded by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

• A late medieval saint from NE India, travelled all over India; popular.

• Revival in late 19th Century• Caitanya initiated sankirtana

• a practice requiring followers to dance in the streets, singing praises of Lord Krishna.

A.C. Bhaktivedanta A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupadaSwami PrabhupadaA.C. Bhaktivedanta A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupadaSwami Prabhupada

• 1896-1977• Had been manager in a

chemical firm, until his retirement in 1954.

• Had published in English• Spiritual master was

Bhaktisiddhanta (died 1936)• Instructed ACB to carry the

teachings of Krishna Consciousness to the West.

• Published Back to Godhead magazine, used to promote his movement in America.

• Took order of sannyasa (religious ascetic, dedicated to religious cause) at age 59.

Growth in AmericaGrowth in AmericaGrowth in AmericaGrowth in America• On a steamer, Prabhupada came to New York in

1965 with $50 in his pocket.• Wanders around Greenwich Village• Bumps into hippies, who become his first disciples.

• By 1967, dozens of centres• 1987: 50 temples in US, 1775 other temples around

world• Recruited alienated youth from the

counterculture.• Membership began to decline in 1974

• As a missionary movement, ISKCON was opportunistic in its recruitment strategies.

AppearanceAppearanceAppearanceAppearance

• Sikha: Men shave head,

• To avoid vanity• except for a tuft

at the end.• Signifies

surrender to guru and Krishna

AppearanceAppearanceAppearanceAppearance• Dhoti: Men wear

robe: • white• Saffron if far

along.• Formal wear in

India.• Sari

• Women wear traditional Indian garb

• Any colour, but modest

AppearanceAppearanceAppearanceAppearance

• Tilak• Dab of clay down

the middle of forehead

• Reminder that body is temple of lord.

• Body must be pure, in all you eat & do.

PracticesPracticesPracticesPractices

• Kritan (video)• Chanting for hours to get into a state• Centre of religion

• Prasadam (link to explanation)• Free food distribution• Famous for its cuisine• All food is an offering to the Lord• Also, giving to emergency relief, like Red

Cross.

BeliefsBeliefsBeliefsBeliefs

• Not sophisticated doctrine• Until recently, women had to hope for

reincarnation as a man• Emphasizes orthopraxis over orthodoxy.

TeachingsTeachingsTeachingsTeachings1. Find blissful consciousness is this lifetime.2. We are spirit souls, parts of God.3. Krsna is omni-everything, father & sustainer4. Absolute truth is in all great scriptures,

• But the Bhagavad Gita is oldest, the literal record of God’s actual words.

5. Learn from an unselfish focussed guru6. Offer food to Krsna before entry7. All actions are for Krsna, not for our sense

gratification.8. To achieve love of God, recommended chant

Lord’s names, e.g., mantra• We are in the end times; The universe is near its

end (Apocalyptic)

KrishnaKrishnaKrishnaKrishna• Krsna is worshipped

in one of his manifestations: a charming young man living in a village.

• Beautiful, mischievous, girls all in love with him.

• Approachably human, metaphoricized as love.

• You’re supposed to fall in love with him.

• Radha the gopi receives special favour.

Nature of humanityNature of humanityNature of humanityNature of humanity

• Traditional Hindu view.• We are spirit souls

• Obtain release from this material existence if you can.

• A world of sadness, woe.• Reincarnation is not a good thing• Karma

• Death & the Afterlife (escaping samsara)

• One ceases to exist & becomes one with Krishna.

The Good lifeThe Good lifeThe Good lifeThe Good life

• Highly prescriptive, puritanical religion• Ascetic.• Wear this, get up at this time, chant this

number of mantras.• Very strict dietary rules.• Men & women live separately; highly

chaperoned.• In favour of children.

• The ritual is not magical; it reminds you of what your inner discipline is.

• Pacifist; communal.

OverallOverallOverallOverall

• Particularistic religion.• It’s the ultimate religion.

• Good book (in our library):• Canadian Susan Palmer, Moon Sisters,

Krishna Mothers, Rajneesh Lovers: Women's Roles in New Religions.

DeclineDeclineDeclineDecline• Charges of brainwashing from anti-cultists• Media portrayed it as a dangerous cult.• Alternate fundraising

• Had been bookselling• Branched into music, art.• Dressed as Santa Claus soliciting donations• Movement became financially-driven, rather than

principle-driven (spreading the movement)• Now, ISKCON’s sectarian lifestyle has given way

to domesticity: jobs, families, etc.• ISKCON’s temples are used by thousands of East

Indian immigrants in North America.• “A faith too accommodated to worldliness lacks

power for conversion” (Rodney Stark)