Oberoende akademiska och övriga utlåtanden, brev etc
om Krishnarörelsen
(ISKCON - Det Internationella Sällskapet för Krishnamedvetande)

MICHAEL BARNES

Michael Barnes SJ. (Director)
Feb. 22, 1993

Dear Ms Knowles,

I was surprised and dismayed to read in the Universe recently the account of the young man supposedly 'rescued' from what is described as the 'Hare Krishna movement'. Whatever the facts of this particular case, I find the reporting tendentious and ill-informed.

It is highly misleading to refer to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, to give the community its proper title, as a cult. We are speaking of a respected Hindu devotional tradition which traces its origins back to the Bengali love mysticism of the 16th century. The Hare Krishna centre, Bhaktivedanta Manor, in Hertfordshire is one of the most popular Hindu temples in England - probably in Europe. Thousands of devotees from the Hindu community come regularly from all over the country. It is also a centre of a fruitful inter-faith dialogue between Hindus and Christians.

The first rule in inter-faith is to learn to speak of the other in a way which he or she would recognise. To characterise ISKCON as a 'cult', with all the connotations of that term, is a crass generalisation which is hurtful to the community in question and damaging to good inter-faith relations.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Barnes SJ
Under the Patronage of Cardinal Basil Hume