International Society for Krishna Consciousness

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishnas (or in pop culture, "those annoying guys that used to bug you at the airport"), is a "new religious movement" founded in New York City in 1966 by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It is based on Hinduism, Krishna being a Hindu god. It has been branded as a "cult".
One narrative about the cult is that the Swami was a genuine (if possibly a bit naive) and honest guru who had authentic teachings to impart, but that the group which formed around him included exploitative cynics, interested only in gaining and consolidating worldly power. Apparently, one chief cabalist was mainly in it for the great Indian cough medicine buzz.Monkey on a Stick (Murder, Madness, and the Hare Krishnas) by John Hubner and Lindsey Gruson. The title refers to a South Asian agricultural practice, in which an impaled monkey is planted in a crop field, as an example to the others who might otherwise be tempted to picnic there. One thing led to another…
Although ISKCON has thus been represented as having 'gone astray',I.e. a lapse from an ideal beginning due to bad supplicants; sounds familiar?On Leaving Iskcon by Steven J. Gelberg (Subhananda das) (28 Jan 2005 18:50:49 +0530) Gaudiya Discussions Archived (archived from 26 Jan 2020 02:51:30 UTC). its often bizarre beliefs and exploitative or abusive practices actually find support in A. C. Bhaktivedanta's many books and recorded talks. Among the 'purports' he wrote to accompany the Srimad Bhagavatam, he condones rape and encourages child marriage, and he encouraged deception and considered anyone who disagreed with him as "envious," demonic, and deserving of destruction. Present-day believers condemn rapeShould a devotee oppose crimes like rape? Should he feel compassion for the criminal? and formed a worldwide child protection office to prevent child sex abuse in their community.Hare Krishna: Hare Krishna fast facts and introduction. religionfacts.com, February 21, 2017. "To prevent future abuses, ISKCON has established a worldwide child protection office to screen out actual or potential abusers and educate children and adults on child abuse, and has made other organizational changes to increase the transparency and accountability of ISKCON leadership." Retrieved on 21 June 2017. However, ISKCON remains a "woman-fearing, woman-hating, woman-exploiting institution", primarily because the leadership structure is and has been the exclusive domain of men.
In other instances, he suggested that eventually his followers would fight and kill non-believers, using an analogy with Islamic jihad.
==Teachings on sexuality==
Despite their wholesome hippie image of sandal-wearing vegetarians who like nothing more than wandering through the streets chanting and hitting drums, ISKCON have some rather socially-regressive views on sexuality. Though there are LGBT-affirming trends within ISKCON, the general attitude towards homosexuality is that it goes against the teachings of Krishna. The pop star Boy George was rejected by the group because of his sexuality and told that he must either become celibate or marry a woman.Boy George rejected by Hare Krishnas for being gay, Pink News
That said, it isn't just gay sex they don't like: non-procreative heterosexual sex is bad too. Not big fans of sex in general, then. Rather a strange religion for the authors of "Love You Do", no?
==See also==
*Hindu creationism
*Michael Cremo
==External links==
* International Society for Krishna Consciousness Official Website
* Religious Tolerance — Hare Krishna and ISKCON
* 
* Former ISKCON members telling the truth about Srila Prabhupada and other HK madness.
* Another combining thousands of quotes of Prabhupada (the founder of ISKCON), witch sections on child marriage and anti-semitism, all backed up by sources, mainly from a website which backs ISKCON
* A list of links about ISKCON
==Notes==
==References==
Category:Antifeminism
Category:Antisemitism
Category:Anti-Christian bigotry
Category:Cults
Category:Homophobia
Category:Islamophobia
Category:Sexism
Category:Transphobia
Category:Hinduism