Thank you for the article. Kindly allow me to add one point: It is exactly this black/white approach which brings so much tension into ISKCON in regards to culture: The liberal devotees think their approach is right, and the traditional devotees think their approach is right. And thus the tension increases. Let us remember BG. 2.69: “What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.” Modern (or materialistic) culture and spiritual culture are as different as day and night, because they are based on opposite world views: material life is all about increasing bodily concept of life and sense gratification, spiritual life about decreasing it.
Krishna consciousness is meant to bring about a transformation of our likes/dislikes, our taste, patterns of behaviour, our world view, desires, attachments – ultimately our very heart in order to develop bhakti. The day of the materialist has to eventually become our night, if we want to become true introspective sages.
This transformation cannot be imposed and forced upon people – it can only be inspired! If we give our devotees systematic education and training in regards to culture, it will empower them to consciously choose how much of which culture they want to invite into their life. Ys, Devaki dd
Thank you for the article. Kindly allow me to add one point: It is exactly this black/white approach which brings so much tension into ISKCON in regards to culture: The liberal devotees think their approach is right, and the traditional devotees think their approach is right. And thus the tension increases. Let us remember BG. 2.69: “What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.” Modern (or materialistic) culture and spiritual culture are as different as day and night, because they are based on opposite world views: material life is all about increasing bodily concept of life and sense gratification, spiritual life about decreasing it.
Krishna consciousness is meant to bring about a transformation of our likes/dislikes, our taste, patterns of behaviour, our world view, desires, attachments – ultimately our very heart in order to develop bhakti. The day of the materialist has to eventually become our night, if we want to become true introspective sages.
This transformation cannot be imposed and forced upon people – it can only be inspired! If we give our devotees systematic education and training in regards to culture, it will empower them to consciously choose how much of which culture they want to invite into their life. Ys, Devaki dd