Published on May 23rd, 2016 | by Madhudvisa dasa
Faith and Fear — Child Abuse in ISKCONs Hare Krishna Gurukul Schools 1977-2000
Faith & Fear — The Children of Krishna (2001) explores one of the darkest secrets of ISKCON in the 1970s and 80s — the abandonment and abuse of children raised as Hare Krishnas. This documentary combines in-depth interviews with exclusive archival footage to explore the history of the Hare Krishna movement and the experiences of the students in its gurukul boarding schools.
The Hare Krishnas. Known to many for their shaved heads, saffron robes and airport solicitation, the Krishnas were mainstays of the Flower Child generation. Faith and Fear: The Children of Krishna explores one of the darkest secrets From the mouths of children, students of the Hare Krishna Gurukul boarding school system, born of, and raised by, Krishna converts, come tales of darkness and lessons of betrayal.
And from the Krishnas themselves; a plea for compassion and a struggle to prevent their religion from being dismantled in North America. This documentary explores the history and of Hare Krishna, a Hindu denomination popularized in the 1960s and 70s and once endorsed by icons such as John Lennon and George Harrison.
More than three decades later, dozens of young adults have come forward with chilling allegations of neglect, mistreatment and exploitation at the hands of their Krishna gurukul boarding school teachers and the leaders of ISKCON. If successful, their $400 million civil lawsuit could claim the majority of the Krishna’s North American assets and effectively dismantle their religion.
Some of the people in this video blame Srila Prabhupada for the massive child abuse perpetrated on the children of Krishna by his so-called disciples. It is not Srila Prabhupada or his teachings that caused this abuse, the actual cause is the rejection of the teachings of Srila Prabhupada by his so-called followers. In every way ISKCON has turned the teachings of Srila Prabhupada upside down. The treatment of children in ISKCON gurukuls is one of the most tragic examples of this.
Please read the full article at: http://harekrishnas.org/faith-and-fear-child-abuse-in-iskcons-hare-krishna-gurukul-schools-1977-2000/
About the Author
Madhudvisa dasa My first contact with a Hare Krishna was a most merciful Mataji in Oxford Street, London who sold me a "Higher Taste" cook book in 1984 while I was on holidays there. I started seriously reading Srila Prabhupada's books in Australia 1985 and by 1986 Srila Prabhupada had convinced me "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and "we should surrender to Krishna." I joined the Hare Krishnas in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. Since then I have been chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching as much as I can. That's my life and full-time occupation now really. I like it more than anything I've ever experienced before. Srila Prabhupada's books are so amazing... Even after reading them all many times they're still fresh and new. They are truly transcendental! That's it really. Now I'm just hankering to once again see the world chant Hare Krishna, dance and feast and float away in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement as it did in Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. Let the whole world drown in the ecstatic flood of love of Krishna!
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Hare Krishna,
I read the above article and the question that arose in my mind was aren’t the teachers (humans) who pretended to understand the Teachings of Srila Prabhupad and dared to so such “paap” in the name of Krishna is to be blamed?