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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>

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