ISKCON News: Politics [pg. 1]

ISKCON European Communications Conference - Day 2

Day Two of the European Communications Conference began with a very relevant and hard-hitting talk by Willy Fautre of Human Rights Without Frontiers. Next was an enlivening discussion where ISKCON leaders from across Europe and the US shared their experiences of using advocacy, engaging with politicians and examples of when this has been successful.

Vaishnava Hindu Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard To Run For President in 2020

“I chose to take the oath of office with my personal copy of the Bhagavad-gita because its teachings have inspired me to strive to be a servant-leader, dedicating my life in the service of others and to my country,” said Gabbard after the swearing-in ceremony to be a Congresswoman in 2013.

Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Announces She's Running For President In 2020

"There are a lot of reasons for me to make this decision. There are a lot of challenges that are facing the American people that I'm concerned about and that I want to help solve," Gabbard said in an interview.

Paramahamster: Vote

Our "Paramahamster" comic strip follows an enthusiastic devotee as he navigates a 9 - 5 work day in the corporate world. Please check back weekly for new episodes!

Paramahamster: Supreme Court

Our "Paramahamster" comic strip follows an enthusiastic devotee as he navigates a 9 - 5 work day in the corporate world. Please check back weekly for new episodes!

Arizona Senator John McCain Passes Away

Most people know him as being a maverick in the political arena, but he was also a friend of ISKCON devotees.

Srila Prabhupada: Social Reformer

Srila Prabhupada's role as a social innovator is sometimes overlooked when we speak about Krishna consciousness. It deserves greater emphasis.

“Truth Isn’t Truth” – The Vedic Perspective

“Truth isn’t truth.” Recently Rudy Giuliani uttered this statement on a television interview. It bewildered some and angered others. What was Giuliani trying to say?

Paramahamster: Narakasura

Our "Paramahamster" comic strip follows an enthusiastic devotee as he navigates a 9 - 5 work day in the corporate world. Please check back weekly for new episodes!

IC Conference to Discuss Politics, Gaudiya Math and Religious Freedom

Forty communications staff will meet in Villa Vrindavana, Italy from May 13^th to 16^th for the European ISKCON Communications Conference. The conference will tackle several issues that are very relevant to ISKCON today. These include ISKCON and Politics, ISKCON and the Gaudiya Math, and Media and Religious Freedom.

Walking Our Talk: The Role of Krishna Bhaktas in Current Events

What would you do if the White House were to announce that President Trump added India to the list of nations whose citizens are temporarily banned from entering the United States? What if the president announced that banning entry to majority Hindu countries is a small price to pay for keeping America safe?

Election Day Blues and the Leadership Vacuum

Many people had been angry by the failures or inaction of one side or other; angry with a do-nothing government which doesn't consider their needs; angry with the moral failures of leadership. And rightly so. But anger and frustration don’t provide a platform from which to make a sound decision.

Mandela May Be Gone, But His DNA Lives On

In a deeply spiritual, almost covert way, Mandela represented a kind of incarnational presence that showed us what practical theology really looks like.

Advisors and Politicians Today And In Ancient Times

The Vedic culture shows that governments can work. In this ancient culture, the leaders are beholden to the principles of the Dharma. They are not immune from the law. The leaders often made the biggest sacrifices rather than simply asking others to take on the burdens.

USA: Public Views of the Divide between Religion and Politics

While support for churches’ involvement in politics has fluctuated, there has been consistent agreement over the years that houses of worship should not directly endorse political candidates.

Philosopher Kings and Krishna Conscious Political Theory

Krishna consciousness political theory is very similar to Platonic political theory, or really it is vice versa as many of Plato's ideas come directly or indirectly from the East.

Politically Correct

When Mahatma Gandhi visited England for the “Round Table Discussions”, his British hosts gave him an impressive tour of London — Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, etc. At the end, they asked him “So, Gandhiji, what do you think of Western civilization?” Gandhi replied, “I think it would be a good idea!”

On Arizona Shooting, Political Blame Game

The recent shooting in Tucson, Arizona, USA has saturated the media, sparking accusations of political influence from the Tea Party and a rancorous political climate to explain why the shooter decided to open fire. "The tragedy in Arizona signals how desperately Americans need to commit to restoring some sanity and civility to our public discourse" - an author says.

Theologian Claims US Religious Right And Liberal Left Not Far Apart

By dissecting the so-called impregnable wall between state and religion, a new book demonstrates how religion persists as a strong element of on both sides of political debate, how we can recognize and understand it, and why we need more of it.

The Fourth Estate

Srila Prabhupada instructed the devotees that they were not spiritually ready to be candidates for political office, and that it would be better to not get diverted from the core activities of the Krishna Consciousness Movement. Yet, questions remained; should Hare Krishna devotees vote in political elections, what role do the devotees play in participatory forms of government?

'God Gap' Impedes U.S. Foreign Policy, Task Force Says

American foreign policy is handicapped by a narrow, ill-informed and "uncompromising Western secularism" that feeds religious extremism, threatens traditional cultures and fails to encourage religious groups that promote peace and human rights, according to a two-year study by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Vedic Invocation Starts Work Day in US State Capitol

Caru Dasa, president of the Hare Krishna temple in Utah, delivered the opening prayer for the State Senate in the Salt Lake City capitol building on Friday, February 19th.

Happy Diwali, Mr. President

How's this for an early Diwali gift for Hindu-Americans (and, perhaps, Hindus around the world): President Barack Obama lit a ceremonial diya (traditional candle) and delivered a characteristically smooth speech in which he declared that he was happy to join "some of the world's greatest faiths" in celebrating a holiday that heralds "the triumph of good over evil."

President Obama Attends White House Diwali Celebration

Barack Obama has become the first US President to personally attend a celebration of the spiritual holiday Diwali, at a ceremony held in the White House on October 14th. For Vaishnavas, Diwali heralds the victory of Lord Rama—considered to be God himself—over the demon Ravana, and his return to his kingdom Ayodhya.

Indian President Receives Bhagavad Gita As It Is

Mr. Premal Thacker (Parmanada Dasa) gifted a copy of Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita As It Is to Mrs. Pratibha Devi Singh Patil earlier this year. It was the first time the President recieved one of Srila Prabhupada's books. She was grateful and kept the copy in her personal temple room.

Power to Which People?

Among the many gifts the West appears intent on bestowing upon the rest of the world – such as TV, burger bars, pop music etc — democracy is perhaps top of the list. We cherish our democratic institutions and are prepared to endure great pain and difficulty, sacrificing our soldiers and heaps of cash, to ensure that voting is embraced in far flung places like Iraq and Afghanistan. Even, it seems, when they don’t really want it anyway.

London Politician Praises Visit to Soho Street Temple

During Mark Field MP’s visit to ISKCON Soho Street Temple, President Jai Nitai Dasa informed him: “We have had a vibrant, progressive and spiritually inspiring community here in the heart of London for over 40 years.” Accepting the invitation from the Hindu Forum of Britain, Mark Field visited the ISKCON London temple in June 2009.

Public Service

“Do I have to repeat myself young man?!!” Oh, how I hated it when my mother would say that. Not because she was being mean, rather because she was being right. It’s hard to hear someone when they’re right and you’re wrong. Most of the time she was correctly pointing out my selfish behavior, “Share with your brother ... don’t boss others around,” she would say.

Sanskrit, Character, and Bipartisanship

Character matters, especially in a world where surety is fast becoming a thing of the past, in a communication age where according to Marshall McLuhan, “the medium is the message,” and philosophers of language are still pondering the question, "What is meaning?"

Washington's Marlboro Men

The Obama Administration continues to insist, all Congressional evidence to the contrary notwithstanding, that Uncle Sam has no interest in running the U.S. auto industry. About the tobacco industry there is no such Washington scruple on either end of Pennsylvania Avenue. President Obama is poised to sign a bill passed by Congress this week that authorizes the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products for the first time.

Atheists Keep Faith with Barack Obama

How much faith should the faithless put in Barack Obama? The president said in his inaugural address that the United States is “a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers.” And in his commencement speech at the University of Notre Dame, he said that the Golden Rule binds “people of all faiths and no faith together.”

A Voice in the Public Debate

Something old or something new, this question lies at the center of a friendly rivalry between me and my friends from England. Americans loves firsts. The first automobile, the first airplane flight, the first man on the moon, America is a nation built on firsts. England on the other hand is a country that revels in maintaining the old. St. Michael’s Tower in Oxford dates from 1040.

RUSSIA: Widespread Protests at New "Inquisition"

The appointment of renowned "anti-cultists" and controversial scholars of Islam to a government body allocated sweeping powers to investigate religious organisations has provoked an unprecedented outcry from many religious representatives and human rights defenders, Forum 18 News Service notes. Particularly striking opposition to the Justice Ministry's Expert Council for Conducting State Religious-Studies Expert Analysis has come from the Union of Old Believer Theologians, a group not directly threatened.

Obama Calls for End to Discord with Muslim World

Reporting from Cairo -- President Obama's sweeping call Thursday for a "new beginning" between the United States and the Islamic world was greeted by Muslims of many countries as a conciliatory gesture aimed at setting aside suspicion and moving ahead on problems that include terrorism and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Belgian City Plans Weekly 'Veggie' Day

The Belgian city of Ghent is about to become the first in the world to go vegetarian at least once a week. Starting this week there will be a regular weekly meatless day, in which civil servants and elected councilors will opt for vegetarian meals. Ghent means to recognize the impact of livestock on the environment.

Gurus, Pundits, and the Lottery

Once confined to the mystic spirituality of India, terms such as guru and pundit are now chic designations all over the world. Consider this headline from the UK news source Telegraph.co.uk published during last year’s U.S. presidential campaign, “The 50 Most Influential US Political Pundits.” The article begins, “Among those who help Americans decide are the ubiquitous political pundits who help drive the national conversation and shape public opinion.”

America: A Superpower No More

Oakton, Va. - Two American icons, General Electric and Berkshire Hathaway, lost their triple-A credit ratings. Then China, America's largest creditor, called for a new global currency to replace the dollar just weeks after it demanded Washington guarantee the safety of Beijing's nearly $1 trillion debt holdings. And that was just in March.

Government Control Weakens India's Temples

Though India is a secular republic, and though secularism commands separation of state and religion, State governments have taken over all prominent Hindu temples and shrines which is an anti-secular act. The best part is that only Hindu temples have been targeted for government control whereas no Christian church or Muslim mosque has been touched.

Britain's Lib Dems Back State Faith Schools

The Lib Dems have voted in favour of allowing state-funded faith schools to continue selecting pupils by faith. The party has also rejected calls to ban the setting up of new state-funded faith schools in a vote at its spring conference in Harrogate.

Obama Administration Moves to Rescind Abortion Rule

WASHINGTON - Taking another step into the abortion debate, the Obama administration will move today to rescind a controversial rule that allows health care workers to deny abortion counseling or other family planning services if doing so would violate their moral beliefs, according to administration officials.

President Obama Receives Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita

The 44^th president of the United States Barack Obama has been presented with a copy of Bhagavad-gita As It Is by an old friend – the brother of Srila Prabhupada disciple Krishnalaulya Dasi.

Chanting-4-Change In the Nation’s Capital: A Full Report

What do yoga, spiritual music, and Hare Krishna have to do with Barack Obama? At first blush, not a whole lot. Sure, Obama carried around a Hanuman trinket for some time, as indicated by Time Magazine. But there's no direct evidence -- as far as we know -- that our new president has a penchant for boogying down with eastern rhythms.

For a New President: Three Things to Consider

Thousands of years ago, a sage named Narada pointed out three things that are pleasing to God (in a discussion with a group known as the Prachetas, as recounted in India's Bhagavata Purana). The qualities Narada recommended are worthwhile for anyone, but especially would be valuable for a leader to emulate.

How One Man's Life Changed with an Oath

Along with millions of others, I watched Barack Hussein Obama swear the oath while laying his left hand on the Bible. Not just any Bible in this case, but the self same Bible that Abraham Lincoln used back in 1861.

Obama to Lift Restrictions on Abortion Funding

US President Barack Obama will lift restrictions on U.S. government funding for groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad, reversing a policy of his Republican predecessor George W. Bush, an administration official said.

Church Asked to Ban Clergy from British National Party

The Church of England is to be asked to ban clergy from joining the British National Party (BNP). The general synod - the Church's parliament - will be urged to adopt a similar policy to other bodies which forbid BNP membership, like the police.

Obama Inaugural Strikes Inclusive Note on Matters Spiritual

The clergy were Protestant, and so was the new head of state. But the inauguration Tuesday of President Barack Obama aimed for a much broader audience: an increasingly diverse America, where people want their beliefs acknowledged in the nation's most important ceremony.

Law Firm Challenges Atheist Lawsuit Over Obama Oath

Michael Newdow, the atheist attorney best known for trying to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, announced he is filing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to forbid references to God during the presidential inauguration ceremony for Barack Obama, January 20.

Can We Ban God from the Presidential Inauguration?

As reported by CNN, a group of atheists and humanists’ organizations are legally challenging Barack Obama's right to make any references to God or religion at his upcoming presidential inauguration ceremony. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Washington, D.C., plaintiffs demanded that "so help me God" be not added to the end of Obama's oath of office.

Obama Likely to Retool Bush’s Faith-based Initiative

President-elect Obama has promised to build on the faith-based initiative of President Bush and, by adding key reforms, to make it “the foundation of a new project of American renewal.” But to do that, his administration will need to resolve constitutional and other tangles that have made Mr. Bush’s effort so controversial.

Washington D.C. Chants for Change

As Barack Obama begins his first term this January, the world is hoping for change. But on January 19, the night before the inauguration, a group of kirtan singers will bless the event with what they believe is the real solution to all problems, political and otherwise – the holy names of Krishna.

ISKCON Member Teaches Bhagavad-gita to British Parliament

ISKCON devotee Kripamoya Dasa made history this December 12 when he spoke at the British Houses of Parliament wearing Vaishnava robes and sacred tilak markings.

His speech at the House of Commons launched Caring for Hindu Patients, a guide to assist health care professionals in caring for the religious and cultural needs of their patients. The book was conceived and compiled by ISKCON member Dr. Divyesh Thakrar, and contains editorial contributions from ISKCON priest Rasamandala Das and other devotees.

Bush-Era Abortion Rules Face Possible Reversal

WASHINGTON -- The outgoing Bush administration this week will finalize a regulation establishing a "right of conscience" allowing medical staff to refuse to participate in any practice they object to on moral grounds, including abortion but possibly birth control and other health care as well.

Bhakti Charu Swami Addresses Mumbai Tragedy at UN

ISKCON spiritual teacher His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami was invited to speak at a discussion on “Exploring the Practice of Reconciliation: Muslims’ and Hindus’ vision of Understanding, Tolerance and Peace” at the United Nations headquarters in New York on December 3rd.

Bhakti Caru Swami Addresses UN Group in New York

ISKCON Sannyasi Bhakti Caru Swami met with the CSVGC (Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York this November 14. The NGO (Non-governmental organization) had expressed an interest in meeting him during their annual Week of Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, from October 20 – 24th. But Bhakti Caru was unable to attend due to health complications of godbrother Jayapataka Swami.

Barack Obama Wins US Presidency

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- President-elect Barack Obama told the nation Tuesday night that "the dream of our founders is alive" and that he's ready to fulfill his campaign mantra of bringing change to America.

Bhakti Can Cure World's Fear Says Indian President

Indian President Pratibha Patil today said that the uncertainty and fear around the world caused by terrorism and religious hatred could be dealt with by spreading the age-old philosophy of Indian saints.

Political Footy

Following an election campaign is not much different from following footy season. We have our favourites and parties we loathe. We want our team to demolish the opposition and walk away with the cup. We wait in suspense for the last minutes of the election and of the final count. All well and good but will the outcome of election season actually change anything or has politics become a professional sport with the players just trying to keep the cup at home?

Sarah Palin: A Pit-bull Wearing Lipstick?

A reader of Pentacostal blogger Ken Gurley questioned his 8/06/08 article, “Palin's Pentecostal Roots Under Attack,”which discussed media scrutiny into U.S. Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s non-mainstream Pentacostal religious background. Gurley’s blog included a YouTube video of Palin speaking in her church in Alaska. Among Palin’s points were that the members of her congregation should pray for the success of an oil or gas pipeline in Alaska that she favored politically, and she opined that God was in favor of the U.S. attack on Iraq.

Ban on Political Endorsements by Pastors Targeted

CHICAGO -- Declaring that clergy have a constitutional right to endorse political candidates from their pulpits, the socially conservative Alliance Defense Fund is recruiting several dozen pastors to do just that on Sept. 28, in defiance of Internal Revenue Service rules.

Radhastami and Today's Political Climate

America is considered a progressive country, but unlike a number of other nations, thus far it has never elected a woman as head of state. Of course, there are many contributing social factors, but one of them should be considered: more than 90% of Americans profess to believe in God. Is it possible that the numerical disparity between males and females in positions of political leadership in the U.S. has been influenced by the major religious traditions, which portray the Supreme Being in predominantly masculine terms?

Liberating the Liberators

It is interesting that the US and UK style themselves as “liberators” of Iraq. Subtly implied in this euphemistic term is the assumption that we are ourselves already liberated, in a position to bestow our happy state on others. And that is surely a commonly held assumption in the West. We view ourselves as having the most progressive and free societies. But how true is this?

Social Justice Minister Comes to ISKCON Mayapur

Srimati Meira Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment in India, recently visited ISKCON’s Mayapur campus. The Union Minister was responding to an invitation extended from National ISKCON Communications director Vrajanandana Dasa to the Indian Government. She was greeted warmly by Sankarshan Nitai Dasa, General Manager at ISKCON Mayapur.

Obama and Arjuna: the Hanuman connection

Barack Obama, Democratic candidate for President of the United States of America, has been compared to a number of great men before him. The charismatic young politician has been likened to president John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln, as well as to civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. But here's one that the mainstream media is not likely to catch: it seems Barack Obama has something in common with Lord Krishna's dear friend and devotee Arjuna.

Arizona Governor Greets Devotees at Prayer Breakfast

ISKCON devotees attended the annual Governor's Interfaith Prayer Breakfast in Phoenix, Arizona earlier this month. There, ISKCON Phoenix temple president Bhava Dasa, as well as communications director Dr. Prayag Narayan Mishra, met with Governor Janet Napolitano and a distinguished group of two hundred and fifty religious leaders.

Indian Animal Rights Activists Preach Veg Diet to Bush

WASHINGTON: One way to beat the worldwide grain shortage is for meat-eaters to turn vegetarian, and the movement should start with US President George Bush, the Indian affiliate of the animal rights organization PETA has said.

ISKCONite to Represent Greens at UK General Election

A keen environmentalist, novelist, web designer, and member of Hindu temple Bhaktivedanta Manor, has been selected as the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Hertsmere. Arjuna Krishna-Das, an active member of the Green Party since the early 1980s, is now set to represent the party in the region at the next General Election.

Vote Now – At Your Local Hare Krishna Temple!

If your neighbor leaned over the garden wall one day and said, "Hey, I’m just dropping by the local Hare Krishna temple to vote, wanna come?" you’d probably do a double take. But that’s exactly what 2,000 locals in Berkeley, California do at least twice a year.

Government Bows Before God

New Delhi, Sept. 13: The government will rewrite its affidavit on Lord Ram in a bid to avert a political Delhidahan, the fate that befell Lanka for crossing his path. Prodded by Sonia Gandhi, the Centre and the Congress today declared that Ram was a historical figure and not a mythological “character” as the affidavit recently suggested in the Supreme Court.

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