Urvashi Patel, Apr 26 2009, USA — In Response to “Hindu Takeover of Phoenix Temple”. The scenario in Phoenix is not a new one. We will see more of this all over the world in the years to come, because ISKCON has overly committed itself to accommodate the Hindu community for financial reasons.
In the UK the situation is the same. Bhaktivedanta Manor is basically a Hindu temple. It openly advertises itself as such. Book distribution has declined to almost nil. Funding comes entirely from the Hindu community. It is therefore no surprise who runs the show.
Moreover, the Manor has committed itself to opening the country’s first Hindu school, which involves millions of pounds. There are rumours that Bhaktivedanta Manor has secretly been re-mortgaged in favour of the Hindu school. Managers receive vast salaries, drive big cars and live in expensive properties. The local GBC is fully complicit for his own benefit. In short, the Hindu takeover of corporate ISKCON in the UK has already been accomplished.
The London temple still resists this trend. As a result, book distribution is strong in London. How long can they hold out? The situation in Scotland and Swansea are similar because they have only a small Hindu community. However, Coventry, Birmingham and recently Leicester have been successfully turned into Hindu temples. The result is a total decline in book distribution. If a Westerner enters any of these temples he feels completely out of place.
ISKCON has turned from a vibrant spiritual preaching movement into a popular meeting place for the Hindu community. Srila Prabhupada’s preaching spirit has been traded in for vast salaries and expensive real estate for a few. The rest of devotees are alienated, ostracised or have simply left. It appears the battle has already been lost in the UK.
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