Page 19 - M&M - Eng
P. 19
Introduction
Within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
(ISKCON), as in the great world around us, there are innumerable
issues under discussion – political, social, economic, academic,
scientif ic, etc. Many of the controversies in ISKCON center
around the point “Should we pragmatically try to blend
with modern society and adjust our teachings for the sake of
preaching, or idealistically strive to create a Kṛṣṇa conscious
revolution via varṇāśrama-dharma? ”*
Obviously, these two vectors are not mutually exclusive. Every
follower of Śrīla Prabhupāda accepts that ISKCON is meant for
preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And preaching in today’s
world necessitates various adaptations. But how far should
we go? What is permissible and what is not? For example,
should we have rock bands or just stick to traditional kīrtana?
Do we incorporate the roles that contemporary Western
society ascribes to women and homosexuals, or stick to Śrīla
Prabhupāda’s stated stance, which nowadays is widely viewed
as antiquated, meanly discriminating, and unfair?
One reason for dispute is that Śrīla Prabhupāda made
adjustments for Western preaching yet also repeatedly
emphasized the superiority of Vedic culture and the need to
introduce it. Should Śrīla Prabhupāda’s cultural adjustments
be permanently institutionalized, or taken further? Or
should we rather adopt more of the “Indian-ness” that Śrīla
Prabhupāda bequeathed us, by moving closer toward orthodox
Vedic culture? Some devotees give greater importance to Śrīla
Prabhupāda’s willingness to adjust, while others emphasize
the necessity to make real moves toward his stated objective
* Lecture: Social Cooperation or Def iance <www.bvks.com/10457>
xvii