Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

I think devotees are getting some accelerated suffering to help them get out of this material world. I dont know the shastric support for it, but if we are to get out of this material world after 8,400,000 births then it will take some prodding to get us out of it.

Widely published child abuses seems to be quite recent phenomenon, last 10-15 years or so. Media especially love cases where religious persons are involved, as a part of their agenda.

>We hear a lot of horrible stories like: this prabhu stole from that one, this guru did this to a child, this temple president exploited her...
Sometimes I wonder if people when they become devotees they become a magnet for horrible things that happen to them.
I remember I had many friends before becoming a devotee and we never even meet someone related to child abuses. In iskcon i hear it so often that it becomes kind of normal.
why is this?

There is a lot of suffering in material world. The threefold miseries, namely adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika (the sufferings inflicted by ones own mind and body, other living entities, and natural forces) are unavoidable in material world, whether one is a devotee or a materialist. Everyone suffers, and it is our mentality, attitude and level of spiritual advancement that decide how affected we become by these sufferings. The reason we hear so much about the problems within ISKCON is the honest, humble and proactive nature of devotees. We do not try to cover up those problems and falsely pretend that we all are situated at the highest stage of perfection, but rather admit our shortcomings and act to rectify them.

Another reason is that being members of a society we are naturally more interested in internal affairs and are better aware of internal problems than of those in other groups of people. Just for the sake of statistics I referred to www.googlebattle.com (someone used it before and I liked the idea), and this is the result:

http://www.googlebattle.com/index.php?domain=hare+krishna+child+abuse&domain2=christian+child+abuse&submit=Go%21

So heads up, all is not so bad:) To further cheer you up below is a quote from Nectar of Devotion, Chapter One "Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service":

...(1) Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress.
(2) Pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness.
(3) Pure devotional service automatically puts one in transcendental pleasure....

hare krishna child abuse 83,900
christian child abuse 2,470,000

interesting.

Once a Swami said (I dont remember which one): "where you have neo-phytes you will always have fights."

My personal comment to Are devotees magnets for misery? is that it is the work of maya. The moment you enter KC you declare war against Kali and Mahamaya. When you surrender everything unto the lotusfeet of the Lord, then He will see to it that nothing happens to His devotees...

ys, Servant Krsna

>Are devotees magnets for misery?

This is a very intresting question. I was born into the movement, went to gurukula ashram. Was abused both sexually and physically by several persons within the movement, most of them in leadership positions. The stories I can tell would blow the mind of most ordinary karmis. Neglect, exploitation, broken bones, no medical care, malnourishment, child labor, seeing my arents twice a year at most etc etc. My siblings and friends all went through pretty much the same experiences. The grownups around us seemed pretty miserable as well.

My extended family knows nothing about this. They wouldnt be able to take it. Plus they would never ever agree that this was a movement which as a goal has spiritual enlightment and wellbeing!

Some say we burn up our karma extra extra fast! Of course this is pretty much in the past but still it makes one wonder.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.You must have developed a lot of faith and strenght to be still around devotees.
Many have left forever for less than you went through.

Thats the thing, it is definately not always easy. The strength and even faith is barely there sometimes. But somehow ones manages to hang in there.

Wow... Sometimes when I get pushed aside I get angry. And you have been through so much...
Youre really blessed. That you had so much confidence in Krishna...

ys,
Servant Krsna

still my question remains unaswered. Do you see more horrible stories among devotees than the nondevotees you know?

Per capita, yes.

Im happy to hear that answer from someone who suffered all this. Thank you Gopika for your sincerity and good example :)

Everyday and every hour people start doubting in Krishna. That is horrible enough for me....

I think what happened toGopika is quite horrible, please do not make it less significant.