“The GBC Letter You Will Never Read” is a wonderfully truthful article, except for the “Ritvik” put down, because basically all ISKCON guru’s are initiating on behalf of Srila Prabhupada, unless they have the original Zonal Acarya mentality of “now worship me!”, as was the case just after Srila Prabhupada disappeared. This was the mentality even towards their own godbrothers and sisters who, if they did not accept it, were forced away from the movement they had dedicated 10 or so years of their lives to, in Srila Prabhupada’s service.
Srila Prabhupada is the real link to the Lord because of His pure devotional unmotivated service. Hearing from, and listening to the chanting of a pure devotee is fully potent to deliver one from maya. “Milk touched by the lips of a serpent” becomes contaminated.
Hearing from materially motivated devotees may seem to contain the real thing for some time, but due to the exploitive underlying attitude, soon becomes dull and lifeless to listen to. Whereas the words of the pure devotee are always spontaneously creative in the service of the Lord, hearing from materially motivated devotees is repetitiously boring. They can go on reciting any old thing because the heart is not in the exact right place.
There are so many expert speakers in the fields of politics, education, and on TV. Hearing their materially motivated voice vibration is practically like listening to a machine. Anyone who is fully sincere in service can be heard by the hear, even they are not yet fully in love with the Lord.
The verse and purport of Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.15.31 explains that anger is natural even for a liberated soul. Just as the four Kumaras became red-eyed with anger when their devotional service was thwarted by the two doorkeepers in Vaikuntha, so also many devotees whose service was stopped by the GBC, and/or materially motivated devotees, became frustrated and then angry. Not only was Pradyumna prabhu’s service of continuing the translating of the Srimad Bhagavatam, after Srila Prabhupada’s departure, stopped by ISKCON’s so-called “Acharyadeva”, but also an assistant devotee friend of his was demonized and kicked away. This devotee is pictured in an old BTG, dancing three to four feet in the air in NYC along with Sunanda prabhu, who was playing a dhol. Much later on, years later, after the damage was done and these devotees had assimilated what happened and what was done to them, a letter of apology to Pradyumna prabhu was offered by the GBC.
What was done to them is that they were burned, or fried in their sincere attempts at devotional service for Srila Prabhupada. Devotees who, on the other hand, have had no experience of being fried by the GBC or their appointed presidents have little or no empathy or compassion for their godbrothers and sisters. They just go along with whatever the GBC mandates.
Today’s GBC are practically the opposite of what Srila Prabhupada desired of them. He wanted that GBC’s be appointed every three years by temple presidents who were fully supported by their congregations, and that these GBC’s travel temple to temple, showing by example how surrendered devotees behave, because while Srila Prabhupada was with us physically, that is the effect He had upon us. Instead, as “The GBC Letter You Will Never Read” points out, they took, and take the position of absolute bosses. Of tyrants in power over ISKCON, which is why istaghostis have stopped since Srila Prabhupada’s departure. There is no more open dialogue and discussion. Any opposition is taken as criticism of their absolute control.
This is explained in the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, in the last verse and purport in Chapter 15. Two types of falldown are explained as lording it over the material energy, and then getting into that deeper. In the case of the GBC, this translates into taking full control of the Hare Krsna movement along with all its members, by hook or crook. Instead of having temple presidents loved by all, the GBC appoints temple presidents as they appoint gurus.
When one looks at devotee pictures in the old BTG’s, you will see how simply blissful devotees were without position, name, and fame. Those same devotees who became gurus and GBC’s no longer look the same. Some went to jail for criminal actions and became morose. Holding onto power, banning devotees from association, constantly on the lookout is not a happy thing. Srimad Bhagavatam 3.15.32 by Srila Prabhupada further explains these points.
It is needed that ISKCON again become fully centered on Srila Prabhupada as a movement. That “all” of His disciples again feel at home in ISKCON, that the GBC actually say “The GBC Letter You Will Never Hear”. These apologies and rectification is what is needed, along with the continual daily performance of the yuga dharma, sankirtana, led daily by the GBC and gurus all around this globe.