Response to Above Letters of Challenge.

Response to Above Letters.

Copied from FB froum w/ comments threads below:

Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 9:08pm

The following letter is a response to a challenging email sent to me from some old friends regarding my way of thinking.

Bhagavan wrote:

Dear friend,
Thanks for your input. I understand and accept where you are coming from in your thinking.

Please remember, in opening myself to anyone who is still interested in knowing me and communicating, I began things with an interview composed of questions asked of me for many years and which deserved an answer. You well know that I have not been communicative with so many loved ones for almost 24 years. I am at the point of exiting Saturn and entering Mercury and the energy has opened up the doors of communication- exchanging of palpable experiences and present day understandings.

This began with the webpage followed by the blog and facebook. I tried to be very clear that my thinking may be different or seem to be conflicting with the readers' past or present interpretations/understandings of what Prabhupada wanted his movement to be or how his initiated disciples must think and be. I also offered my heart to those who suffered because of my leaving them the way I did and their rugged process of redefining who I was. For some, whatever I do or say will never be enough to appease their minds. For others the opening to reestablish loving and friendly contact was a much welcomed and needed element in their lives-like it or not.

What I or anyone else who has a similar or parallel way of seeing life, won't accept, is to be judged as being less than someone because of it. I am not at all trying to hide this point to have to admit to it. However, on your suggestion that it may not be clear enough, I will post this part of my response on my wall so that no doubt should remain.

I might share with you that since beginning the FB communication and the blog, many diverse minds have converged on challenging topics, for the most part begun by me. A small percentage is fierce in their hatred not unlike a certain level of despise and hatred exchanged among the diverse Prabhupadanugas within and outside of ISKCON. And there can be no doubt there is hatred, rage and terror rippling out from ISKCON - from poison theories to court cases to hate publications to child rape. People ask why. And still to this day devotees are conflicted on guru issues and having the courts decide for them. Why?

For the greatest number who have taken the time to communicate, the exchanges have been awesome. So for you, times may not have changed, but for me they have. Don't try and convince me of the rightness of your world view and I won't do that to you, although God is certainly in both. If you find my thinking too objectionable, then perhaps this is where friendships might end and where neutrality can begin. For me, this is preferable to elitism or making war.

For me, an open mind, grounded in attention paid to intuition, have proven to be an effective combination for growth. I have Prabhupada in me. I shared this in a question posed on the web and blog. I have beautiful friends to this day, from being in his movement. I have him in me just the way I want to.

I might share a curious dream I had of Prabhupada, my first dream actually. When I first arrived in Paris, I was sleeping on a hard, wooden table in a cold room of the temple. During my sleep I saw Prabhupada and myself on nothing other than a baseball field, in baseball uniforms. We were pitching, batting and catching. Although at first I felt surprised and startled, that feeling moved towards happiness and friendship. I have never once had a dream or direct experience where Prabhupada spoke down at me as you have. So I hope this experience wasn't too irreverent or sahajiya like for you.

In closing this part, Their Lordships have recently sent my way many who parallel my life and thinking and some that don't. I accept both. I depend on Them to find my Truth. There is no further need to try and tell me that I shouldn't communicate any further, or pull down my blog, until you bring me around to think in ways that you do. You imply that "my thinking" is harmful to myself and others. Well, it is an interesting and winding road back home. We'll certainly see at some point who is with us at the end. With that, I would take this moment to say how much I miss Sundarupa Maharaja, Somaka Maharaja, Bhakti Tirtha Swami, Yuga Dharma, Swarupa Damodara and other great minds who have left.

I have received some challenging inquiries regarding "Prabhupada statements", to which yours and others' insights could prove enlightening. These comments will be posted next for gaining a better insight into his mind and person.

To the best that we may be,

Bhagavan


Copied Comments Thread:


Laura Gauravani Ehrlichman
Where is the original letter so we can read that?
March 26 at 12:57am ·

Premananda Greg Porter
We have missed you Maharaja............so glad your back!

i for one have no problem with your"thinking"and i`m happy also hear also to hear your "feelings",much more than i would a instuitional person who have no mind of their own. or experiance to know the difference[no offence anyone thats how i feel.}

i was happy to see myself in your photo album on the streets of london,those were the days,we had such fun,i`m sorry you could not stay,we had to grow up,that`s for sure,no problem there.... See More
i first met you at seventeen,at Croome Court,i was Siva-ramas servant,2nd in your famous one million pound marathon,we lost you and Croome Court......still life is Now.

my heartfelt love to you sir and your good lady and the children,i lookforeward to your openness in moving foreward,i addressed you as Maharaja,because you`ll always be Maharaja to me,

very kind regards
Greg.

Greggy full candles is a BBC nickname.i work in film and i`m events and booking manager for Childrens Air Ambulance,
UK.
March 26 at 9:08am ·

Alexis Kriel
Gauravani has got a point.
March 26 at 12:24pm ·

Premananda Greg Porter
my post is not really understanding the "so called challenge"

so i don`t agree or disagree cus i don`t know what has really been said............however if your being called a non devotee because of your" intuition" instead of what prabhupada said

then i disagree!!
March 26 at 1:06pm ·

Bhagavan Das
Greg,
Good to meet with you again. The communications have been posted in full for discussion.

There is a good possibility that I will be in Europe this summer so perhaps we can meet.

All the best
March 26 at 1:14pm ·

Premananda Greg Porter
That would be great
i really hope you do,it`s "overdue" as they say,

thank you for your good wishes,
kind regards,
Greg.
March 26 at 1:39pm ·

Bv Kusum Sraman Swami
Frinds are forever, not just fairweather. We all tried together and so much happened, we are all learning, some easier and quicker than others, but we are on the way home, just time seperating. Take care Bhai and big hugs.Jaya Prabhupada
March 26 at 2:57pm ·

Krishna Priya Jaharia
I believe that going on communicating is the best way to settle differences and to get on with our real business of this human form of life. So, I thank Bhagavan das prabhu for coming out in the open and face all the palatable and unpalatable comments. In the end, I believe, they will prove to be purifying and enriching....Welcome to Facebook!!!
March 26 at 2:57pm ·

Donatella Baruzzi
Dear William,

I remember Sundara Rupa prabhu dearly too,
I had the choise in the 1988 to speak with Him by telephon, I was at Citrarupini’s hause, she remembers I think.
I was so amazed: He asked me pardon for everything happened during my last year in Villa Vrindaban, I didn’t aspect any apologies by devotees as it was a news…

Actually in ‘84 I had my doughter Krishna Rasa and I realized the neglet towords childwood and motherwood despite the filosophi (telling just in few words)
That’s why in the ‘85 I left Villa Vrindaban, I know devoted spreaded offences
before and after I left.

the atmosphere was so unpleasant, you could see devotes pushed to devotional service without a look to the inner of theirself and sensation.
I thought: in about 1 year something will exploded here… my intuition could not imagine that Gurudeva has been left!!!
I think it has been painful for everybody to leave the temple
Thank you for the apologies I have read on your blog William, very touching
I wish you the best.
Damayanti
March 26 at 4:37pm ·

Alexis Kriel
One would think that with all the interesting, educated and successful people associated with krishna consciousness that there would be more networking for expanding these ideas - in all sorts of ways .....it could be such a progressive, interesting, current, dynamic movement. but it's not. As someone said to me recently - ISKCON needs a new logo, a fresh letterhead.
March 27 at 10:11am ·

Donatella Baruzzi
we know lotus flowers grow from mud water and they are beautiful and very clean :-)
could we become like lotuses
March 27 at 10:42am ·

Hari Kirtan
Dear Bhagavan prabhu,myself and a nice devotee
you may remember?You named him-Arjuna Krsna
das-previously (Adoksaja das) would love to see
you when you come to Europe.If you do come
this summer,do you have any Idea which month... See More
it will be?

You inspired us both to distribute many of Srila
Prabhupada's books to the British public,for that
reason we are eternally indebted to you.

God bless you and protect you, Hare Krsna!!

Hari Kirtan Dasa
March 28 at 3:10pm ·