Tattva-viveka
How to act.
Ludwig - January 26, 2009 1:31 pm
Haribol
I was sitting and thinking what you should do if someone talks bad about Gurumaharaja?
Ive read somewere that one should cut out that persons tounge.
Or just walk away.
Do anyone here have some thoughts?
Ive got a friend in Stockholm that likes Gurudev and he talked to an old man in isckon about people not want to be in isckon and the man replied : If youre not in isckon then it is like letting down Prabhupadas mission and Thoughts/Work.
I would like to know how you would respond to something like that.
Sorry for my bad spelling.
Your servant
Ludwig
Vamsidhari Dasa - January 26, 2009 3:57 pm
HaribolI was sitting and thinking what you should do if someone talks bad about Gurumaharaja?
Ive read somewere that one should cut out that persons tounge.
Or just walk away.
Yes, you should step on their head with your shoes! 
but I am sure there could be other more temperate and philosophical answers!
Syamasundara - January 26, 2009 5:25 pm
Luckily that guy wasn't criticizing GM, but rather speaking his misinformed mind. The first thing I'd do would be ask him to prove it substantially.
Brahma Dasa - January 26, 2009 5:49 pm
This is a Sanga on the subject of leaviing Iskcon--letting down Prabhupada etc.
Never Leave Iskcon
Babhru Das - January 26, 2009 9:30 pm
I vigorously second the suggestion that you read the Sanga; it will help you deal with devotees who use this line on you (and it is really just a line, as we say in English--something used to manipulate us, in this case by inducing a sense of guilt). As Swami says in that Sanga, we can't really find any record of Srila Prabhupada actually saying, "Never leave ISKCON." One of the letters often cited by ISKCON folks in this regard was written to me in 1973. But in it Srila Prabhupada actually exhorts me not to give up the company of devotees--in other words, not to give up the service of Mahaprabhu's mission. Back then, leaving ISKCON pretty much meant going back to the kind of folks we associated with before meeting the devotees, and therefore to our old habits, leaving aside our daily sadhana and our strong efforts for spreading Mahaprabhu's mission.
I've heard that there's some ISKCON requirement that those accepting initiation promise never to leave ISKCON along with the promise to chant 16 rounds and follow the four regulative principles. It's so absurd that many of ISKCON's gurus just ignore it. Others, including some for whom I have much affection and respect (at least other than this decision) follow it assiduously. I've heard a couple of their gurus discuss managerial concerns at initiation. I can't see how anyone can be impressed by that. Heck, if they can get disciples to actually chant those rounds and do a pretty good job with the four rules, as well as help with the preaching somehow, throughout their lives, they should be satisfied with that. And devotees who later find they have difficulties with these find themselves wrestling with guilt at causing their gurus to suffer because of that. How does it help anyone to add institutional loyalty to that? What if someone has no trouble with the rules and rounds but finds their association in ISKCON uninspiring? Should they beat themselves up because they find other association that does inspire them?
If someone were to use this letter today to try to "guilt" me into returning to the control of the GBC, I'd straighten them out. And if they were to try to shake me by reminding me that Swami is outside ISKCON, or that he has, as one friend commented "two gurus," I straighten them out on that one, too. This has happened a couple of times with old friends here in Alachua, and I just tell them the facts. As we see in the letter regarding Asita das, even Srila Prabhupada is more concerned that we find inspiration for increasing our commitment to Mahaprabhu's service than in some sort of proprietorship.
You'll find that you won't be able to have a friendly conversation with many of these devotees. It's a little easier for me because I'm old and have been around for a while. They may give you a harder time because you're young and your experience in Krishna consciousness is still somewhat fresh. That will make it easier for you to understand whose association is beneficial.
Ludwig - April 1, 2009 7:55 am
Thank you very much 
Haribol!