Hare Krishnas? I Know This Site Is For JW But . . .

by InterestedOne 26 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  InterestedOne

  ziddina - Thanks for raising the issue of getting enough sleep. In the link transhuman68 provided, a poster noted the requirement of chanting the hare krishna mantra for a specified number of repetitions can eat up a lot of time and lead to not getting enough sleep. My friend did just tell me she has a cough and hasn't had enough sleep lately. I'm not sure if it's related to the chanting requirement or if she's just busy.

  still thinking - Good point. Positive behavior does not mean the doctrines are true.

  jgnat - Thank you. I was wondering if that kind if thinking existed in this group: telling people they will never be happy if they decide to leave the group. JW's do the same thing. Very manipulative.

  Londo111 - I plan to be as sensitive & gentle as I can, e.g. not belittling. She knows I try to think critically. One of her previous boyfriends was an atheist, and she said he challenged her - she didn't say whether she felt the challenging was good or bad. She seems open-minded and says she occasionally has doubts about it. Nevertheless, she says she simply likes to hang out with the devotees. From my perspective, sure, it's all well & good to hang out with people, but I wonder if they are playing some head games. For example, they refer to conventional scientists as "nay scientists" as in "nay sayers."

  transhuman68 - Thanks for the link.

  umadevi - I am aware of the official Hare Krishna website and literature just as I am aware of the official Watchtower website and literature. I am looking for information that the official website and literature avoids yet is important for understanding what is going on with these groups. That is why I asked for the other side of the story.

  rip van winkle - Yeah :) I sure know how to pick em don't I? LOL. All my life I've tended to hang out with eccentric people. I do agree with you. Even armed with some background reading plus first-hand experience with cult recruitment tactics, one must still be careful.
• 

  elderelite

  interestedone..... i have found that gut reactions are often there for a reason. Your subconcious see's something , your wonderful brain observes something that it cant quiet articulate.. but gives you that 'danger' feeling... trust it.

  if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....
• 

  Londo111

  I agree about the Spidey-sense.

  But that duck saying is ruined for me after a pig-headed elder spouted that to me a few minutes before the appeal committeee sent me packing. I should've quote John 7:24, " Stop judging from the outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." Not that it would've done any good.

  Of course, when it comes to a group that might be a cult, I agree.
• 

  Gayle

  In Wiki, I noted they have a part showing "Governing Body," spooks me right there!!
• 

  doofdaddy

  As I recall, there was a major rift years ago as the leader was having gay sex with the elite which he surrounded himself. This is of course in direct opposition to what is told to the followers. In fact they are told that sex is only to procreate and not to be enjoyed. They cannot eat spicey food as this (in their eyes) stirs the animal nature for sex.... Once sexual energy is pushed under like this, it will find a way to express itself and sadly children become the victims. I have a work friend who was heavily involved for years and she left due to the hiding of pedos etc. As a youth support worker, I have assisted abused children from a "Krishna farm" not too far from where I live. Ask 'em about that!

  There's your link to Jw's. The masters at hiding abuse.
• 

  nugget

  In a recent publication from ICSA Hare Krishna were listed as a high control group or sect. The article was discussing child abuse and listing evidence for physical abuse of children within the sect. Any extreme religious group is problematic.
• 

  still thinking

  Why doesn't any of that surprise me doofdaddy and nugget

  I had heard they only had sex to procreate too...these religions that forbid sex or have strict rules seem to invite problems with sexual behaviour.
• 

  InterestedOne

  EE - Yeah my gut reaction is similar to what I felt upon encountering Watchtower-ism. It looks like another kooky high-control group. Some might advise to run for the hills, but the truth is that I myself was in with a bunch of kooks too when I was into the born-again Christian BS. I don't want to give up just yet until I see where she is coming from and how the peculiarities of this cult are affecting her. She may be too fargone like my JW acquaintance - ugh! That experience was just awful, but I won't know until I learn a little more.

  doofdaddy - Thank you for your insights from personal experience. I will ask her if she likes spicy food. She's cooked dinner for me a couple of times, and in both instances, the food was distinctly un-spicy. I didn't think anything of it because I enjoy the natural taste of vegetables. At the same time, I also appreciate when spices are done well to add another taste experience. Nobody is giving me a rule saying no spices to avoid stirring up an animal urge! I did ask her about the pedo scandal, but she brought up Penn State and the Roman Catholic Church. ISKON was sued and has supposedly instituted some preventative measures. She said a pedo coverup would not necessarily stop someone from wanting to go to Penn State or play football there.

  nugget - I will read some more about the child abuse problem in the group.

  stilll thinking - I agree that groups forbidding natural behaviors invite problems.
• 

  rip van winkle

  InterestedOne- if you happen to eat at your JW acquaintance's- just don't drink the Kool-Aid!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
• 

  InterestedOne

  rip van winkle - Actually, my JW acquaintance will no longer speak with me. I learned the hard way what happens when you challenge someone's religion - of course nevermind that they go around criticizing everyone else's beliefs, religious or secular, and -initiate- the conversation! They can dish it out but can't take it. When I pushed back and analyzed the very things that -she- was preaching, I became bad association. I did the little JW study-the-booklet-with-a-brother at -her- prompting, yet I am the bad one.