PICK IT UP IT'S A ROPE

Pick it up it's a rope.....Put it down it's a snake.

In the 1980's there was a full-fledged attack on ISKCON by the (greedy) parents of disgruntled bhaktins and bhaktas in the form of law suits alleging brainwashing, mind control, sleep deprivations, etc etc, etc.

It was very serious as the law suits were for millions of dollars and all the temples and properties were at stake.

I remember Keshihanta the temple president in Boston at the time returning one afternoon from a day in court with the lawyers during the Murphy law suit pale a ghost. The stress of it must have been incredible. He said they presented as exhibit A the photo of Lord Narshimha deva tearing the entrails out of the demon and wrapping them around his neck like a garland with the blood dipping. The jury was shocked. This is what Hare Krishna worships? ISKCON was definitely headed for dangerous hippy cult status.

The Indians stepped forward. Not only did they write checks to support the temples but they spoke out defending the movement as culturally sound. They saved the day with the "It's a bonafide culture" card. That was pick it up it's a rope.

But now also there is put it down it's a snake.The Hare Krishna movement is not bound by any particular culture. Anyone seriously studying the writings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur will come to that understand after about one paragraph.