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Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna: Five Distinguished Scholars on the Krishna Movement in the West
Describes the religious beliefs of the Hare Krishna movement and examines the social, psychological, and theological significance of the movement
276 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1983
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September 15, 2024
A VARIETY OF RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS OFFER THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE MOVEMENT
This 1983 book contains a variety of interviews with various figures (most notably Harvey Cox), and includes topics such as: "Has Krishna Consciousness anything to offer Christianity theologically?"; "'Brainwashing' and the Politics of Conformity"; "Deprogramming, Conservatorship, and Religious Liberty"; "Becoming a Krishna Devotee: Who, Why, and How?"; "Krishna Consciousness and Religious Persecution"; "The Hare Krishna Movement: Its Historical Significance"; "Is the Movement 'Hindu'?"; "Bhakti Tradition: Its Origins and Historical Development," etc.
Harvey Cox states, "I think it's important for people to understand the enormously old, in fact ancient, lineage of this movement. Whereas one might be a little surprised to find people chanting Hare Krishna in the United States, after only a few days in Vrndavana you understand that this is not something unusual, and certainly not something new." (Pg. 24)
He adds, "the term 'brainwashing' has no respectable standing in scientific or psychiatric circles, and is used almost entirely to describe a process by which somebody has arrived at convictions that I do not agree with. If... we like the change, we say that this person has 'improved'... If we don't happen to like the outcome, we say they must have been 'brainwashed'... I think it's such an ambiguous and loaded term that it shouldn't be used at all." (Pg. 50)
Editor/interviewer Steven Gelberg points out, "Unlike Bhaktivedanta Swami, most people who have come to the West in the role of spiritual mentors have tended to demand very little from their followers in the way of submission and obedience, and to set very low standards of personal conduct and discipline. Their attitude towards the personal morals of their disciples is generally laissez-faire---as it often is to their own personal morals." (Pg. 132)
Later, he adds, "for the sake of placing Krishna consciousness on the map of the history of religions, the term 'Vaisnavism,' signifying cultural and theological tradition based upon the worship of Visha or Krishna, is an accurate and descriptive term for the historical tradition of Krishna consciousness." (Pg. 173)
As a collection, the quality is somewhat uneven; but nevertheless this book will be of great interest to anyone studying the "Hare Krishna" consciousness movement.
This 1983 book contains a variety of interviews with various figures (most notably Harvey Cox), and includes topics such as: "Has Krishna Consciousness anything to offer Christianity theologically?"; "'Brainwashing' and the Politics of Conformity"; "Deprogramming, Conservatorship, and Religious Liberty"; "Becoming a Krishna Devotee: Who, Why, and How?"; "Krishna Consciousness and Religious Persecution"; "The Hare Krishna Movement: Its Historical Significance"; "Is the Movement 'Hindu'?"; "Bhakti Tradition: Its Origins and Historical Development," etc.
Harvey Cox states, "I think it's important for people to understand the enormously old, in fact ancient, lineage of this movement. Whereas one might be a little surprised to find people chanting Hare Krishna in the United States, after only a few days in Vrndavana you understand that this is not something unusual, and certainly not something new." (Pg. 24)
He adds, "the term 'brainwashing' has no respectable standing in scientific or psychiatric circles, and is used almost entirely to describe a process by which somebody has arrived at convictions that I do not agree with. If... we like the change, we say that this person has 'improved'... If we don't happen to like the outcome, we say they must have been 'brainwashed'... I think it's such an ambiguous and loaded term that it shouldn't be used at all." (Pg. 50)
Editor/interviewer Steven Gelberg points out, "Unlike Bhaktivedanta Swami, most people who have come to the West in the role of spiritual mentors have tended to demand very little from their followers in the way of submission and obedience, and to set very low standards of personal conduct and discipline. Their attitude towards the personal morals of their disciples is generally laissez-faire---as it often is to their own personal morals." (Pg. 132)
Later, he adds, "for the sake of placing Krishna consciousness on the map of the history of religions, the term 'Vaisnavism,' signifying cultural and theological tradition based upon the worship of Visha or Krishna, is an accurate and descriptive term for the historical tradition of Krishna consciousness." (Pg. 173)
As a collection, the quality is somewhat uneven; but nevertheless this book will be of great interest to anyone studying the "Hare Krishna" consciousness movement.
Displaying 1 of 1 review