The
ability of a cult to camouflage itself is an integral part of its survival.
Controlling dissidents and blunting the effects of criticism are also
priorities. Confronted with an uncomfortable truth, cult leaders often adopt
the defense strategy of a poisonous blow fish that puffs itself up to appear
bigger than it actually is.
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"WHO MAKES US IGNORANT? WE OURSELVES. WE PUT OUR HANDS OVER OUR EYES AND WEEP THAT IT IS DARK."
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA |
In addition to blending in and trying to appear disproportionately threatening, cults have infiltrated dissident websites in an effort to control, intimidate, and learn the identity of critics. From a practical viewpoint, dissidents who limit their criticism to chatting with other like-minded ex-cult members on a website will also be less likely to engage in actions that might prove embarrassing to the cult. In this way, even the therapeutic value of discussing one’s misfortunes becomes another tool of cult subversion.
Before I discuss some of the tactics the Hare Krishna/ISKCON cult uses in this regard, I would like to take a moment to discuss a similar pattern in two other major cults that arose to prominence during the 1960's and 1970's and have remained highly influential and controversial.
The Unification Church (“the Moonies”) has
diligently worked to transform its image from a family of spiritual autocrats
to all-American hyper-conservatives, founding the influential Washington Times newspaper and acquiring
United Press International (UPI), among many other business interests. This is
a far cry from a cult whose early enthusiasts were known for selling roses by
the side of the road. However, these public relation schemes are
like a tight, gaudy costume worn by a fat exotic potentate: if he runs too fast,
it rips off, exposing his hideous nakedness to the laughter of the general
public.
Examples abound: who can forget the filing of false Federal income tax returns and charges of conspiracy
that led to the conviction and imprisonment of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon in 1984?
Given the literature and videos meticulously exposing the contrast between the
practices and actual beliefs of these and other cults established during the
mid-to late 20th century, why do they continue to attract new
recruits and what can be done about it?
A
few years ago I came upon a website that strongly criticized the Hare
Krishna/ISKCON cult’s views about and treatment of women using direct
quotations from the teachings of its founder, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada. A few things about the website bothered me, however. For one thing,
the graphics used were of an unusually high caliber and it also contained a
number of direct links to a number of authorized ISKCON websites. What the hell?
Apart from the quotations that were concentrated at the bottom of the webpage,
most postings resembled Facebook entries written by a punk-rock addicted
teenage girl. Before long, as the saying goes, I smelled a rat.
PLEASE HELP SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE!
Why,
you might ask, would leaders—most probably initiating gurus-- of the Hare
Krishna cult engage in subverting the authority of its founder/acharya in such
a brazen manner? The answer is two-fold: unlike the vast majority of ISKCON
devotees and the mostly Hindu community that make up the bulk of its donors,
the present-day gurus of the movement are well-versed in the lectures,
speeches, and commentaries of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. They also
know that his preposterous and ill-informed notions about race, women, and
so-called "Vedic Science" cannot survive rational scrutiny. For instance, his notion of slavery as the ideal state for blacks and women:
19 March,
1976, Mayapura, India:
Prabhupāda: And
the women are declaring, “independent.” They are begging door to door to a man,
“Please give me shelter. Give me a child,” and they’re independent. One
American woman, was…. She was speaking that “In India, the woman are treated as
slave. We don’t want.” So I told her that it is better to become slave of one
person than to slave of become hundreds. (laughter) The woman must become a slave. So instead of becoming slaves of so many
persons, it is better to remain satisfied, a slave of one person. . . . And our
Vedic civilization says, narī-rūpa pati-vratam: “The woman is beautiful when she remains as
a slave to the husband.” That is the beauty, not the personal beauty. How
much she has learned to remain as a slave to the husband, that is Vedic
civilization.
Taped conversation of
Srila Prabhupada and disciples (14 February, 1977, Mayapur, India):
Prabhupada: Sudra is to be controlled only. They are never given to be
freedom. Just like in America.
The blacks were slaves. They were under control. And since you have given them
equal rights they are disturbing, most disturbing, always creating a fearful
situation, uncultured and drunkards. What training they have got? They have got
equal right? That is best, to keep them under control as slaves but give them sufficient
food, sufficient cloth, not more than that. Then they will be satisfied.
Of course, the swami's endorsement of slavery for blacks and women is bold-faced nonsense, good only for belly laughs and informing would-be Hare Krishna followers. If that were not enough, here's what he has to say about the brains of women:
3 February,
1975, Hawaii,
(Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam)
Prabhupada: To
understand Brahman is not the business of tiny brain. Alpha-medhasan. There are
two Sanskrit words, alpa-medhasa and sumedhasa. Alpa-medhasa means having
little brain substance. Physiologically, within the brain there are brain
substance. It is found that the brain
substance in man is found up to 64 ounce. They are very highly intellectual
persons. And in woman the brain substance is not found more than 34 ounce.
You’ll find, therefore, that there is no very great scientist, mathematician, philosopher,
among women. You’ll never find because their brain substance cannot go. Artificially do not try to become equal with men. That
is not allowed in the Vedic sastra. Na striyam svatantratam arhati. That is
called sastra. You have to understand that woman is never given to be
independence.
So much for "Vedic science"! Srila Prabhupada followers! Next time you become seriously ill, what will you do? I bet you will run for your pitiable life to the best modern hospital you can find and eagerly submit yourself to the hands of a specialist, who very possibly will be a woman and whose medicines and therapies were developed using modern research techniques in laboratories where men and women work side by side. Mantras, Deity-worship, and other means of selectively denying reality won't help you, what to speak of your literal scripture readings. Time to wake up and clear the cobwebs off your underutilized "brain substance"!
If the swami's views about brain size were true, the sperm whale, a mammal possessing, at 7.8kg, the largest brain on the planet, would enslave all of us as one gigantic, jagad-guru:
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Sripada Whale-ji giving underwater SB lecture |
Secondly,
many of these gurus have amassed more disciples than their guru ever had and
have also become experts at manipulating donors to enrich their coffers and
fund the building of elaborate temples. In short, they have turned into
self-deluded, dhoti-clad megalomaniacs bent on supplanting their guru. They
want to be him:
HEAD OF ISKCON? http://www.narendramodi.in/shri-gopal-krishna-goswami-maharaja-head-iskcon-meets-pm-modi-428324.
These
puffed-up charlatans are fully aware that they have wasted their lives chasing
delusions. Like video-game addicts who have lost touch with reality, many
senior ISKCON devotees in leadership positions live like petty tyrants drunk
with power surrounded by hordes of their fawning acolytes. Most of all, they
fear critics who would expose their candy-coated fake Hinduism to the public
(especially the genuine Hindu organizations and politicians whose support is
essential to their mission).
Aware
that donors continue to be cultivated almost entirely by personal contacts,
fancy events, as well as invitations and newsletters sent by ordinary mail,
these cultists show little concern about criticism in blogs or other kinds of
social media. However, if even a few of the influential people ISKCON has spent
years cultivating finds an impassioned, impeccably researched diatribe written
by an ex-cult member sitting in their mailboxes, it might spark an angry
confrontation with significant financial repercussions.
Spending a relatively insignificant amount of money covertly funding a fake
anti-ISKCON website is a small price to pay for avoiding such a disaster.
However,
it is a bitter and uncomfortable truth that avoidance is the coward’s reaction
to confrontation and informed argument. So is abusing the trust of others,
especially when you know that they are turning to you for comfort and healing
from extremely traumatic experiences. Remember that the term con artist refers
to people who extract confidences from other people and then use the information for their own nefarious purposes.To exploit people who suffered in a cult and managed to extricate themselves is a grim, diabolical business.
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