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EDITORIAL  Using Prabhupada's Temples BY JIVATAMA DASA EDITORIAL, Dec 4 (VNN) — Dear worldwide Vaisnavas, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and the unlimited Vaisnava devotees of the Lord. A very sad thing that I observe is the way immigrants are exploiting Srila Prabhupada's temples. Many centers in the USA are being used as stepping-stones to further material ambitions. The idea of using Prabhupada's temples to obtain a greencard is a terrible kind of abuse. I claim that it is an insult against Srila Prabhupada and everything his teachings stand for. Everyone who ever visits an ISKCON temple is using it, in some way or other, for his or her own aggrandizement. Every time we visit a temple to fill our hungry bellies, relieve ourselves from stress, or make spiritual advancement, we are using the temple as a means to fulfill our ends. This is not good, but until people become purified it's allowed. Srila Prabhupada wanted very much that people come to the temple for prasada or to relax and listen to lectures. These things are authorized by Prabhupada in all of his books and lectures. Coming to the temple to get a greencard, however, was never authorized by Srila Prabhupada. Nor is demanding a salary in compensation for service. I am sure that I am not the only person who has observed this. Many people who have immigrated to the West via ISKCON temples typically only perform "service" if they are paid for it. This is directly contrary to the fundamental principles of bhakti that Srila Prabhupada taught. Devotees have no right to bring a business mentality into ISKCON. I argue that the temples are being corrupted because of this and the spirit of bhakti is dying. True, this is "God's Green Earth" and we all have the right to use God's property to be happy. Prabhupada himself even remarked once, "Why should they make immigration difficulties? If one finds an opportunity, let him go [not exact]". However, Prabhupada never wanted devotees to use his temples to further their own material ends. It is sad that this is happening, and it is even more sad and confusing that ISKCON management is allowing it. The bhakti yoga that is supposed to take place in our temples has, more often than not, turned into "salary-yoga" or "green card-yoga." Many devotees are only performing service in order to get a return or a cut of the pie. Such a mentality ö leeching off of public donations ö is exactly the kind of stereotype ISKCON should be fighting against. In short, this is an unfortunate situation. Srila Prabhupada did not live, suffer, struggle and die so that people could come to the USA and make money or raise a family. He came to America to make people Krishna conscious so that we could in turn spread the sankirtana movement. Devotees need to be taken care of. Devotees have a right to protect their families and raise their children. However, using temples and taking a salary and calling ourselves "sadhus" is killing Prabhupada's mission. As a worldwide community, devotees should work for a solution. The easiest solution I can think of is for people to take Prabhupada's instructions to heart. We should feel obligated to not use what Prabhupada created. Every devotee should feel that he/she has a personal responsibility to not violate Prabhupada's clear instructions, especially in a way that is detrimental to the advancement of the sankirtana movement. Contact VNN about this story  Send this story to a friend
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