My Life behind the Headlines of the
Hare Krishna Movement
by Nori J. Muster
Paperback Edition
University of Illinois Press, 2001
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Books in Brief, Publishers Weekly, 2001 Author's Profile, Publishers Weekly, 2001 Publishers Weekly, 1996 (of the hardcover) More Book Reviews More Reviews More Reviews Amazon.com Reviews Order the paperback edition now through Amazon.com: [click here]. |
Best-bookstore.com Reviews
Loving the Good or Hating the Bad are NOT the same
(from Best-bookstore.com)
I went to a Kumbha mela in India in 1965 at 18 years old and experienced many of the sincere Holy sadhus of India. In the same year Srila Prabhupada went to America with a message of How to get Back to God. Drugs and sex were not the way.
I joined iskcon in 1978 as well and left iskcon in 1984 for pretty much the same reasons as Nori. However, I have never left the love of Srila Prabhupada.
The danger Nori has here is by focusing on hating the bad our consciousness becomes very stained. I decided to simply Love the Good in all that passed through my life, including iskcon.
The study of human nature is fascinating. I went to the big Mayapur festival in 1980 and there were 11 "holy thrones" for the 11 American holy young men who staged a coup after their leader left his body. To them their spiritual Dad had died and it was case of getting into a position of power in iskcon. They just did what came natural to ambitious americans. Take control of the iskcon world.
I looked at this with some amusement and immediately said to a devotee next to me, "Eleven green bottles sitting on a wall, and if one green bottle should accidently fall there'd be ten green bottles left hanging on the wall."
It was just so obvious to anyone that these young American boys were no sadhus. But they were connected to one.
Over the past 26 years nearly all the green bottles have indeed fallen, but they were never supposed to be on the holy thrones anyway.
My young son who attended the school in vrindavan had a dream where Srila Prabhupada was trying to get onto his throne but was unable as there were too many american kids sitting on it. He turned to my son and just said, "What have I done"?
Radha and Krishna are a sweet loving and divine couple. Loving consciousness is their message. By focusing on the good we become sweet. By focusing on the bad we become sour. I say, focus on the sweet and good. It will all work out fine ...in the end. Haribol!
There Are No Victims, Only Volunteers
(from Best-bookstore.com)
As a 31 year member of the Hare Krishna Movement, I apologize on behalf of the angst and disappointment Nori has experienced, as expressed in Betrayal of the Spirit. I empathize with her, as I have experienced similar, but I am also eternally greatful for all the devotees within the movement that invested their time in me, to help me shape my character, and give up a materialistic life for genuine spiritual life. This is something that is lacking in her book.
As Nori knows, the founder, Srila Prabhupada, described that there are two types of mentalities, that of the fly, and that of the bee. The fly looks for the toxins and the bee for the nectar. Is this book a meditation on toxins or on nectar ? I have had my share of disappointments with various leaders, and have been a leader myself in the Krishna movement. I am sure I let many people down as well, but with my limitations , I tried to overcome my lower nature. I don't think that the well-wishing founder of the Hare Krishna Movement would approve of this book, as it gives a very distorted view of what the Hare Krishna Movement was not intended to be, and actually is not.
Srila Prabhupada, who she still claims to be a follower of, would say that there may be spots on the moon, but it does not effect the illumination. I remember meeting Nori and her husband in their offices one time, to thank and commend them on the movements newspaper that they were editing, and how they called it the Whitewash Review. It was then that I realized they were writing things that were "politically correct" because there probably was some pressure to do so.
I am not currently very active within the mainstream Hare Krishna movement, but I don't see the value in scaring people away from visiting a Hare Krishna temple. I think is is actually a disservice, and an act of violence in itself. The greatest decision I ever made in this lifetime was to visit a Hare Krishna temple, and the incredible effect the lifestyle has had on my development as a human being. Even Lord Krishna showed us the example of sucking the poison out of the witch Putana, but delivering her back to the spiritual world because of acting like a nurse to Him. I could also try to cash in on a percentage of $13.00 by writing about all the faults I experienced in the Hare Krishna Movement, but better I write volumes about my own short-comings and improve them, but who would want to read it ? We become what we meditate upon.
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the purest and most profound author of spiritual literature that anyone could read. His books are available online, or at any Hare Krishna temple. He said that he too was a member of ISKCON, and "ISKCON with all thy faults, I love thee". Does this mean that Nori's standrards are higher than his ? I hope Nori and her husband will bury their hatchet and continue to participate in a way superior to cashing checks from hanging out the dirty laundry known as Betrayal of the Spirit. I think she has betrayed her own spirit by publishing it. I am also trying to learn to take responsibility for my own decisions and to give up the "victim" role, otherwise how will I ever grow ? The saints within ISKCON far exceed the deceivers. gaura_acbsp@yahoo.com
Not impressed
(from Best-bookstore.com)
Self-pitying, weak-minded and unbalanced account of one woman's involvement in the Hare Krishna movement. I would have admired her more, if she had taken responsibility for her own mistake in getting involved in something which she later regretted, rather than blaming others. And I thought it a shame that she should vent her spleen in a way damaging to an organisation, which has helped so many.
A portrait of mounting corruption and its concealment.
(from Best-bookstore.com)
This well-written book provides a good account of how a religious organization can become increasingly corrupt yet seek to conceal and deny this corruption at every turn. Muster recounts her own role in this deception. For much of her time in ISKCON, she was an editor and writer for a sect newspaper that tried to balance journalism with its purpose to put a positive spin on whatever was happening within the organization. Finally, the evidence of corrupt behavior became too great to ignore, and when Muster attempted to publish interviews and stories that mildly touched upon controversial events, she was thwarted by the cult authorities. Eventually, Muster had no choice but to leave the group. In the author's view, ISKCON's problems began with the death of the supreme guru, Srila Prabhupada, in 1977. This resulted in the devolution of authority to eleven "zonal gurus" who lacked the charisma and Vedic scholarship of the cult's founder. Inevitably, some of these gurus went completely overboard, spurred on by the cult's practice of worshipping -- in effect, deifying -- them. The new introduction to the book, written later than the original introduction by Larry Shinn, implies that the author no longer categorically rejects the mind control/manipulation model that Shinn seems so eager to discard. While this book offers a good overview of the decline of ISKCON in America, it does not provide a lot of insight into the lifestyle of ordinary members of ISKCON, such as those who went to airports tirelessly for years to raise money for the cult. I found myself wanting to know more about the private thoughts and feelings of the person Nori Muster and not just about the series of scandals that swept through the cult in the 1980s.
no point missed!
(from Best-bookstore.com)
To the unfortunate person whose review is titled "Missing the Point"- i'm afraid it is you, my friend. Hare Krsnas are NOT about spreading the Hindu caste system throught the world , nor are they trying to create some elite class of MALE Brahmins.
Actually, ISKCON founder Srila Prabhuada constantly spoke out against the Hindu caste system- which places people in caste BY BIRTH. Meaning, the son of a Brahmin is automatically considered a Brahmin. Prabhupada practised genuine Vedic dharma in granting devotees Brahmin initiation based on QUALIFICATION- and to women too!
Youll be surprised to know that the base of Krsna Conscious philosophy is "Aham Brahmasmi"- I AM SPIRIT.
There is no distiction based on temporary bodily distinctions such as sex, race, or even species! Hence the fact that devotees practice Ahimsa "nonviolence" to ALL living beings.
Yes, i lived in Krsna temple for 2 years and have been a devotee for almost 10. There are inumerable women devotess who are Brahmins, Priests, and temple leaders. And as a male devotee, one of my many services involved cooking and cleaning in the temple. There is no "woman's work" predjudice. We are all spirit-souls serving Sri Krsna. The movement is not perfect- but the philosophy of Vedic culture and the devotion of Srila Prabhupada will inspire the heart of any open minded person!
I just cannot see lies spread about my culture. Please forgive me if i have made any offenses. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!*
Reviews from Boston University
The Hare Krishna Movement: When Maya Becomes Divine
Nori Muster's Betrayal of the Spirit, is an insider's account of the Hare Krishna movement in the United States. It is an autobiographical recollection in which Muster describes the changes within the organization, and offers her hypothesis as to how and why these changes occurred. Her story begins in college, when she first encounters ISKCON, and as the book moves chronologically through time, she moves deeper and deeper into the movement. She starts as an interested observer, later becomes a member, and finally begins working in the public relations office within ISKCON. In the last part of the book, Muster paints a shocking picture of ISKCON, and concludes with her reasons for leaving the movement.
Her primary thesis is that the Hare Krishna movement she first became interested in was not the same Hare Krishna movement she left behind. As an undergraduate, Muster was looking for spiritual advancement, and she found just that in ISKCON. Instead of synthesizing her own spirituality, however, she had stumbled upon an organization that dictated to her the kind of spirituality she should have. Her ascent into the movement was quick, and at times irrespective of her own will. She allowed gurus to persuade her to become a member, to persuade her to work in the PR department, and to persuade her to cover up problems that occurred within the movement.
She describes ISKCON as an organization that fell apart after the demise of its teacher, Srila Prabhupada. He had started the movement as a sacred offshoot of Hinduism that was rooted in Bhakti Yoga. Devotees lived a strict life in which their purpose was to serve Krishna. After Prabhupada's death, Muster postulates, corrupt and egocentric gurus failed to keep up the sacred traditions that Prabhupada had worked so hard to cultivate. The decentralization of the movement created factions all over the country. Each "zonal guru" felt that he was the true successor of Prabhupada, and conducted affairs in his zone without anyone to report too. Because of this split in power, the gurus ruled their respective zones like feudal lords, and in the process lost the very teaching that Prabhupada had passed on.
With neither a balance of power nor a system of checks and balances, ISKCON shifted away from a sacred practice, and moved towards an organization infested with debauchery. Muster's involvement was not devoid of blame. As a member of the PR department, she helped to place a cloth over the illicit affairs of its members. Though she did not agree with the "shove it under the rug" approach, she conceded to the gurus and helped to do just that.
In the end, what was once an organization that had provided Muster with a home, a job, a husband, and a spiritual family, had turned into a suffocating situation. Conflicts of interest over her publications, and disagreement over handling "touchy issues" led Muster to leave ISKCON. She realized that her need for spirituality was not being fulfilled through the movement. Though she still believed in Krishna Consciousness, she no longer believed in the new ISKCON.
Betrayal of the Spirit raises some key questions about religion, and offers interesting answers concerning people and blind faith. Firstly, how Hindu are the Hare Krishnas? Secondly, was Nori Muster a confused young woman who fell into the arms of a corrupt organization or was she an immature and foolish woman who never learned to think on her own? Lastly, is it even correct to say that ISKCON is a religious movement?
In reference to the first question, how Hindu are the Hare Krishnas, my opinion is that they are nowhere close to understanding the basic premise behind this ancient religion, and their interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita and bhakti yoga are way off the mark. The Gita for many Hindus is a guidebook to life. It is used to make sense of life when life itself doesn't make sense. In it Lord Krishna counsels Arjuna on topics such as duty, honor, respect, and discipline. None of these lessons seem to be valued by the Hare Krishnas. Simply chanting "Hare Rama, Hare Krishna," wearing monastic garb, and meditating with a japa mala does not make one a Hindu. While it may be true that Prabhupada founded an organization based on a love and devotion for Krishna, the ISKCON of the 1980s was similar to Prabhupada's creation only in name. Sexual abuse, prostitution, murder, drug embezzlement, and money laundering are hardly lessons taught by Krishna in the Gita, and I wonder what version of the Gita Hare Krishnas are reading.
As a Hindu who holds the teachings of the Gita to be sacred, it makes my blood boil when Hare Krishnas say that they are incorporating the words of Krishna into their lives. Krishna consciousness, what does that term mean? Does it mean an awareness of Krishna? Is it a love for Krishna? Does it involve a commitment to live life by his words? If that is what the term refers too, then the Hare Krishna movement is an enormous failure. From my perspective, if the Hare Krishnas never said that they were based in the Hindu tradition then I would not care about their actions, ideas, or philosophy. But ISKCON says it is a sect of Hinduism, and thus when ISKCON is mentioned, Hinduism is inferred. My problem with ISKCON arises here. If a group openly says that they are part of a tradition, then I expect them to respect that tradition. I certainly do not expect the group to bring shame to that tradition. ISKCON has a distorted view of what Hinduism is about. It talks about leading a clean life on one hand, and on the other hand, gurus are abusing their power and sleeping with little girls. I do not see what is Hindu about that.
The second question that this book brings up is whether ISKCON was so good at sucking people in that Muster got mixed up in a corrupt organization, or whether she was too naïve to realize what ISKCON was really about. In my view, she was a young woman looking for a place to belong and trying too hard to find it. She was too weak of mind to make choices on her own, and relied on her father and the gurus to make decisions for her. Soon after college she joined ISKCON. This prevented her from living in the real world. She did not have to make difficult real-world decisions; she was living in an ashram where a guru dictated what she was to do. And even in the end at the age of thirty, she relied on her father to give her guidance with her work, with her life in ISKCON, and with her decision to leave it. In my opinion she was a puppet whose strings were never fully controlled by her own brain.
Lastly, can ISKCON even be considered to be a religion? In my view, most religions (with some exceptions) don't traverse airports and con people into giving them money. Devotees are not usually made to sell cookies in order to make a profit for a cause. Religions don't put out cookbooks titled A Higher Taste to make money. Cover-ups about murders should not be part of a sacred organization; they belong in Al Pacino movies. This is not a religion, but rather a hoax. Its goal is not to grow spiritually, but rather monetarily.
The most disturbing part of ISKCON is not the behavior of the gurus. It is not the murders, or the headlines. It is not even its disrespect of Hinduism. Rather the most disturbing aspect is its devotees. They are like the children who followed the tune of the Pied Piper, being mesmerized by something so insane. The ability of ISKCON's devotees to lose common sense, and become unable to separate reality from maya paints a weak and unnerving picture of the human mind. Betrayal of the Spirit provides interesting insights into a world where religion stops helping and starts hurting.
- Preeti Subhedar read original
A Critical Review of Nori Muster's Betrayal of the Spirit
Betrayal of the Spirit is a thoughtful and critical insider's account of the Hare Krishnas, more formally named the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). In this religious autobiography, Nori Muster reflects on her experiences as a devotee and describes the Hare Krishna's decline after the death of Swami Prabhupada, the ISKCON founder, in 1977. She does all this from the unique perspective of a public relations officer.
In the 1970s, a time of social change and experimentation, Nori Muster was a college student who became fascinated with religion and came to a spiritual crossroads in her life. She felt destined to pursue Krishna consciousness after meeting welcoming devotees and connecting with their four regulative principles. She also became interested in the organization's press, learned about gurus and bhakti yoga, and was taught to chant mantras and japas. Because Prabhupada's writings provided answers to her questions about the mysteries of God, Nori moved into the Los Angeles temple and immersed herself in Hare Krishna culture, eventually devoting eleven years of her life to working in ISKCON's Public Relations department.
Throughout the book, Nori argues that ISKCON's downfall in the 1980s did not result from Prabhupada's failings. Some of the factors that contributed to the group's demise include a zonal guru system and its lack of accountability, corruption of certain influential gurus, an inflexible patriarchal structure, isolation from and dishonesty toward the outside world, and negative publicity brought upon by the Hare Krishnas themselves.
The Governing Body Commission (GBC) held a meeting after Prabhupada's death and decreed that eleven gurus would initiate disciples and be treated with the same respect formerly paid to Prabhupada. The new zonal guru system was a turning point because the transmission of guru power was not smooth, and the gurus took paths that seemed to diverge from the founder's principles.
Muster attributed a flood of negative publicity about ISKCON to national and international problems caused by one or several individuals. Several gurus had integrity problems. Among them were Jayatirtha who experienced devotional ecstasy as a result of heavy LSD usage, Hamsadutta who stockpiled weapons in the Northern California ranch, and Ramesvara who was attached to a fifteen-year-old girl and failed to chant his japas. If these and other corrupted gurus were held accountable for their actions and immediately excommunicated from ISKCON, much of the bad press would have been avoided. Some of the remaining issues ISKCON had to face included: the Jonestown tragedy, Laguna Beach drug busts, a court case called George vs. ISKCON, deceptive fundraising activities, drug dealing and prostitution in New Vrindaban, neglect and child abuse in the Dallas boarding school, and family incest in a gurukula in Vrindavana, India. Many of these events were covered up.
Despite the bad publicity and a growing negative reputation, Muster gave ISKCON the benefit of the doubt and continued to have faith in its leadership. A struggle between her expectations as a devotee and ISKCON's scandal-filled reality eventually led her to resign from her job and separate from the movement.
I respect and admire Nori Muster's courage in writing Betrayal of the Spirit. One can only imagine the hardship, adjustment, and acceptance she had to face as a female Hare Krishna devotee. Luckily she did not experience any of the abuse, neglect, or organizational incest that was mentioned in one of the chapters. However, the way she describes her experiences, especially as a woman devotee, is inconsistent with her initial knowledge of ISKCON women. In other words, I would argue that she was not as naïve as she described herself to be. Numerous situations in the book made her aware of women's second-class status and submissive roles.
Muster's feelings of confusion and growing alienation became more evident when an award for ISKCON's P.R. department was given to a part-time male staff writer, despite her dedication and hard work as a public relations secretary and editor of the ISKCON World Review. She probably did not realize the extent of the organization's patriarchal system. Nevertheless, she did present us with several incidents that should have given her fair warning of the lack of recognition or appreciation that she would receive as a female devotee. Two examples include one woman's explanation that "submission is the ornament of woman" and her college professor's argument that ISKCON women were considered inferior (16). Muster had persuasive evidence of subservient roles of most ISKCON women, but wanted to believe that it wasn't true.
Why didn't Muster share what she knew about ISKCON's internal problems with other devotees? I have mixed feelings regarding this issue because it is disturbing, yet understandable considering the situation she was in. Of course a fellow devotee would only want to know the facts, so as to not be blindly worshiping Krishna in the midst of internal corruption. Since it was her job in the P.R. department to encourage optimism and to project a positive image of ISKCON, however, it is almost excusable that she did not let the word spread about the organization's turmoil. I do give Muster credit for attempting to notify others through various interviews and articles, particularly because she was regulated by the GBC, which did not allow reporting of certain new stories that would have brought unfavorable attention.
Because Muster is more objective as opposed to subjective in writing the book, the events that occurred behind the scenes within ISKCON are more believable. It is important to note that she does not write as a bitter, former Hare Krishna devotee of the 1980s, but instead as classic reformer who simply scrutinized the leaders of the movement. I enjoyed reading this book because, as Larry Shinn pointed out in the foreword, two distinctive themes are interwoven within it. Muster provides both an interesting account of what happened to the Hare Krishnas in the United States during that time and a narrative of her own struggles with the Hare Krishnas.
- Gina E. Dapul read original
