What is the essential message of your tradition for people today?
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Sriman Sudhindra Babu " I am so glad to learn that you are interested in the matter of Vaisnava philosophy. Vaisnava philosophy is very simple: that God is great and everyone is His servant. Nobody can be equal to or greater than God. They are simultaneously one and different. In quality they are one, but in magnitude they are different. This is the whole philosophy of the four Vaisnava sampradayas."
In this time, our sampradaya, the Madhva Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya, under the urgent wish to deliver the many fallen souls of this difficult time in Kali yuga, Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the great bhakti saint, asks all to chant Hare Krishna mantra, and sin no more. You will be happy in this life, and in the end go back to your spiritual home , back to Godhead.
Does your group serve as an immigrant community
Curiously yes, both back and forth! Our members are contantly moving here from India, or moving from Canada to India, or from Russia to India, or Russia to to America, Australia to India, Hong kong, etc etc, all over the world. So we are increasing cross-cultural exchanges and appreciations of other cultures in a big time way, but all ultimately around the one central culture of Krishna.
Each decade presnts a new immigration situation. Initially, many westerners moved to India, bringing connections to Vaisnava culutres big resources and big modern ideas. For a while, last few years, Eastern Eurpoean recruits were emigrating to Canada and USA in fair numbers, to act as priests and workers, but in reality, many longed for immigration status, and once achived, left their positions. In another time period, many thousands of Indian people moved to the West, and they in turn brought their Hindu culture and Indian cutlure, which effected the Hare Krsna movement culture in so small way, uncluding kitchen habits, altar procedures, exclusivity issues, kirtan/singing style, dress style, etc.
The immigration is not just of bodies, but ideas, as the Vedic texts are being translated in literally every language on earth, give or take some langauges which have fewer speakers.
What is the difference between the way your community practises its religion here and in your country of origin?
In Canada, for example, our cooking, an important aspect of our spirtual lives, also incorporprates influences from Ukrainian, German, French, Chinese, and other racial influences from the already diverse cultures from which the population of devotees comes. As the source of recruits changes, the cooking does accordingly. With more Indian bodied devotees, there is more variety of Indian preparations possible, but the standard preparations are as prepared for hundreds of years back in India, not California-style, as one might say. Iskcon has been know for its fabulous cooking, but that reputation is dwindling in the temples, unfortunately. That doesn't mean the skills aren't there.
Back in India, in the holy places, Pizza with real Italian cheese is now available! This is Iskcon's influences, as our men from around the world are living full time in sacred places where the whole population of Vasinavas eventually passes by our temples and perhaps eats some Hare Krsna prasadam pizza.
In America, we are generally less formal, but the society has gone through changes over time since its begginings in the sixties.
What is easier/more difficult for your community here as compared to your country of origin?
Being now in a Christian and mixed community, many do not understand our dress, our manner of speaking, our public dancing and chanting names of Godhead. At first, they reacted with laughter and consternation. Later, they became angry and tried to stop us. Nowadays, they ask us, "where have you been? We miss you! Please come out on the streets and dance more often!" So, times have changed!
Do young people stay involved in your tradition?
Its hard not to! Once one has tasted the richness of our traditions, such as Deity worship, temple life, devotee freindliness, and love of Radha and Krishna, one never goes too far away from that in one's heart. On the other hand , there have been problems within our societies that have driven many young persons away in disgust from corruption and selfishness that have rocked our world wide movement these last few years since the departure of our great Guru, Srila Prabhupada.
It is difficult to go freom Vasinava culture to akarmai society, as the life of those not Vasinavas is mostly composed of what we consider sinful activities. so a lot of self examination and internal crises can arise. The cognitive dissonance is more thna some can take, and it makes them crazy, or turn to drug, sleep, etc to reform themselves or escape the stresses. Some have become geniuses of renaissance viewpoints, some have committed harikari.
Is there any tension between the generations on particular issues?
Oh Boy! This topic is too huge to even enter into. Problems of succession of lineage and control of group assets have been the major problems, but that in turn has involved everything else under the sun, from collections methods, to kitchen procedures, to chanting style to dress and etc. there is major rifting arund the world as to which are the correct ideas given by the spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. It is now like the Shi'ites and the Sunnis, no less contention.
What do you see as the future of your community?
The future may see a continuing of the split into two major factions, though the phony Jesuses of the criminal faction are seen not to be able to stand their grounds without severe deviations and fall donws, so i expect the true followers will triumph in due course. From there, we shall continue our expansion and hope to save the entire planet from extinction. We have already put the words karma and transmigrationa nd reincarnation on the map. recent polls show that 25 % of Americans now believe in reincarnation, and 65 % said they believed in spisituality rather than religion. Our burial habits are becoming Hindu; cremation dominates instead of burials in N. America nowadays. Krishna will simply become more and more a part of the world cultures, as He is so attractive!
What gives you the most hope/discourages you the most as you look ahead?
World takeover by worshippers of Luciferian and clockwork elf worshipping bozos is the greatest danger. Obama and his clowns have brought us to the brink of nuclear war. Nowadays, all the neonazis and fascist corporations prefer to use fluoride, MSG, aspartame, neotame, mercury, napalm, nukes, spent uranium dust, man-made swine flu, polio vaccines with cancer viruses, AIDS, and E coli mal-types, sickening poison sprayed chemicals, insane nerve gas, mad mouse virus, bovine encephalitis, sprayed aluminum and barium, weather weapons, foreign armies and crazy government agents, viruses, malnutrition, radiation to mercilessly and purposefully, coordinatedly even, kill off any and all opposition. Have a nice NWO week.
Is there anything I haven't asked about that you would like to tell me about?
There is so much. I am one devotee of Krishna, with my opinions. Others may or may not agree with me. But the main thing is that even this scholaticism will not save you at the time of death Learn to chant the Names of Godhead, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, or indeed any Names of Godhead you accept in your true faith. this will actaully prove usefull, otherwise, all things pass, my good friend.
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