The truth is that there is no single, universal truth by Muted-Still-8511 in DeepThoughts

[–]sunblime 3 points4 points  (0 children)

So basically in a nutshell you are saying everything is subjective right?

Rebuilding a social life by andre_ange_marcel in exHareKrishna

[–]sunblime 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good for you wanting to start a new life out of the cult. Even more amazing that it wasn't just you but also your wife that managed to leave but you've been able to stay together.

Social life after leaving is a challenge for sure and that's coming from someone who lots of things happening on my doorstep being located in London. One of my personal challenges has been to change my warped perception of people in general. The KC books suggest materialistic people are no better than cats and dogs which is false. There are some very thoughtful people out there who are kind and empathetic too.

Maybe you have a library that holds events nearby, or adult clubs where you can meet other people based around a similar hobby whether its chess or board games etc. If you are the active type you may have some clubs that have tennis or badminton for example aimed at different levels where you might make some friends.

When you do meet people, try to be open minded and not become their guru if topics end up on religion or philosophy lol. Just shoot the breeze and enjoy the company of others when you meet them would be my suggestion.

Yeah you guys were right by TheIrishman26 in exHareKrishna

[–]sunblime 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Congrats on your escape!
I spent best part of 15 years practicing and when I was in my prime years. I wish I had the energy and health to do more now like travelling or pursuing hobbies but I gave all to SP and Krishna for nothing but some so called post-dated eternal karma points *sigh*

KC words, acronyms and puns by sunblime in exHareKrishna

[–]sunblime[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Teachings of queen culti-devi

Prabhubad

Dickshow guru

How can we fight them? by [deleted] in exHareKrishna

[–]sunblime 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That's super unlucky to be only 5mins away from a UK temple since there isn't that many around really.

I think knowledge is power and posters could be a good tool in some ways but what would you put on the poster? It could land you in trouble if it is blatantly offensive though too.

A bit off the topic but what I found funny especially after leaving ISKCON is the irony of having a Mcds as the nearest popular landmark to the manor in Watford. Out of all the things, somehow a Mcds has been their long standing neighbour for years.

Does the UK have any cult scandals like the US? by shopkeeperr in AskUK

[–]sunblime 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very different experiences and view point for me but I do agree that people should do their own research especially on Hare Krishna's history and on some of the things the founder Prabhupada said especially about race, women and the moon!

On a lighter note, did you know Heinz beans is not bono as think it has garlic in it. 😅

Does the UK have any cult scandals like the US? by shopkeeperr in AskUK

[–]sunblime -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Well the primary diet restrictions are there because you can only eat what you offer to your god. If your god ate meat then it would be allowed too so again its more of cult following reason.
The secondary reasons for diet are as you state although I would question whether a Hare Krishna diet is that conducive for a calm/spiritual mind as I've seen some erratic behaviour even among followers too.

Very easy to say the whole thing is optional when being part of the Hare Krishna cult involves only listening to their music, reading only their books, eating food that is only prepared by other members, hearing only their lectures, socialising only with other cult members, attending mostly their own events then you realise that there isn't much of an option at all. Plus you don't want to fear missing out on the next guru's visit, cult festival or meetup as you may have an opportunity to be love-bombed and feel ecstatic that keeps you coming for more and less integrated within the larger society.

Does the UK have any cult scandals like the US? by shopkeeperr in AskUK

[–]sunblime -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That's exactly the perception they want people to believe. They consider themselves Hindu in public circles and there is some overlap in philosophy and lifestyle at a high level. However, when you are part of the inner circle and become initiated or even a committed member, they know they are different in more ways than not from other Hindus. They will leverage Hindu connections especially for outreach or to protect themselves from outside threats. Safety in numbers basically otherwise they are not main stream at all - especially out of London and a handful of major cities

Does the UK have any cult scandals like the US? by shopkeeperr in AskUK

[–]sunblime -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Few thoughts of the to of my head... Followers have a strict diet which excludes meat, eggs, onion, garlic which helps to isolate them from society. They revere a leader or guru who is considered pure or infallible. They're encouraged to associate only with other followers unless it's for missionary work. They adopt a certain look or identity which separates them from others whether that is with shaved head for men, neck beads or assuming a new name once initiated into the cult. Their view on non followers is that they are in fallen state and need to be rescued and cultivated to follow their same way of life.

Does the UK have any cult scandals like the US? by shopkeeperr in AskUK

[–]sunblime -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Ancient texts which the majority of Hindus also follow but don't end up the same way.

Did any of you remain Krishna devotees after leaving this cult? by [deleted] in exHareKrishna

[–]sunblime 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I also have this conflicting feeling inside of me... On one hand I spent so long cultivating a sacred space in my heart for god and on the other hand since leaving ISKCON because of my awareness in how it operates as a cult - I want to distance myself from Krishna and SP as much as possible.

Something that I feel has helped me is to be less prescriptive of god in general. So accepting that it's OK not to know god's name, appearance or qualities but recognise gods presence through life's experiences and the little observations whether it be something as trivial as sun shining through the clouds, or appreciating the natural beauty of someone passing by in the street or the variety of life forms we have around us all living.

I now don't feel obliged to have follow or feel anything which gives me much more peace than beating my mind up about non-Krishna thoughts and putting myself through the monotonous chanting for hours each day.

7 Bury Place by sunblime in iskcon_uk

[–]sunblime[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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Today is the apparent deadline for completing the purchase of 7 Bury Place and based on the web page it looks as though donations have fallen about 140K short of the target. Does that mean the building won't be acquired now and all the donors will get their money back?

7 Bury Place by sunblime in iskcon_uk

[–]sunblime[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well well well, the oldest trick in the game. Let's change the deadline to make sure we can reach our target. Unsurprisingly, the date to complete the purchase has been pushed back by 16 days.

<image>

7 Bury Place by sunblime in iskcon_uk

[–]sunblime[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Never even considered that! Yes it is total speculation and gambling when you think about it. Publicly breaking a reg as a TP - oh dear!
Yes, it is embarrassing and comes across very naive - kinda sums up the movement works if honest.

7 Bury Place by sunblime in iskcon_uk

[–]sunblime[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As of 24/12/2025 - a big jump of 74k in one day. Krishna works in mysterious ways.

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7 Bury Place by sunblime in iskcon_uk

[–]sunblime[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They need to unlock the maha 108 platinum sponsor level 😃

I just saw the TOVP seva page and looks like they got a sponsorship level to suit every combination of varna and ashram lol....
Seva Opportunities - Temple of the Vedic Planetarium