How does the genuine Hare Krishna Movement feel if you're Gay?
Well first of all lets understand that there are no hard and fast rules for the chanting of Hare Krishna. Chanting the names of God is not an artificial imposition on the mind.
It is a natural state of consciousness..
The Hare Krishna movement is about developing our dormant love for God--- we call him Krishna.
You can't help who you feel attraction to and in the Hare Krishna movement we acknowledge
that there are various types of desires.
Now its true that when Boy George first tried to join the Hare Krishna movement he had rejection. See this article--
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/when-gay-boy-george-was-rejected-to-be-part-of-hare-krishna-movement_100223593.html
But this was a growing pain for the early movement and has progressed to a better more realistic understanding--- Now there is an aspect of the movement called Galva
Gay and Lesbian vaishnava alliance
Here is the link
http://www.galva108.org/
This article explains that there are various types of living beings and gender not just male and female..
Allen Ginsberg was an early member of the movement and he was accepted by the founder AC Bhaktivedanta Swami
Conversations Between Srila Prabhupada
and Allen Ginsberg
In his meetings with Allen Ginsberg, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada set the example on how a Vaishnava should receive and interact with people who are openly homosexual. Allen Ginsberg was a famous poet from the “beat generation” of the 1950s. In 1956, he shocked America by publicly celebrating his homosexuality in the highly controversial book Howl. A legal challenge by outraged citizens to have the publication censored proved unsuccessful, and thus, for the first time in the United States, homosexuality was openly and honestly expressed in the public arena.
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The whole premise of the spiritual essence is we are not the material body.
Whatever body we find ourself in we can approach Krishna, simply by chanting the Holy Names.
If you have a bona fide name of God that is all that is required.
Past karma and inclinations are not an impediment.
Of course the purpose of the chanting is to develop unselfish unconditional love. Not just in name but as an actual fact.
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Replies
"How does the genuine Hare Krishna Movement feel if you're Gay?"
They don't care.
I've spent years close to those people and I find them to be almost TOO tolerant about most things :)
Dear Friend,
The folowing link is the official wikopedia on defining the religion:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hare_Krishna
It wiould seem it is a question of conscious, so it is up to you my friend.
Namaste
Martin
Who cares anyway?
To seek your ultimate truth about ANYTHING you have to look within, so don't let it bother you what who says about what, not krishna, jesus, buddha or any other being!! You'll find what's right for you when you look inside and not let outworldly concepts and beliefs taint your own perception that is garnered from seeking within your own being, cos only you and your higher self knows what is planned for you in this incarnation.
P.S: Chanting mantras only serves to numb the brain, try something more NATURAL like deep breathing.
The devotees of Krishna are not against sexuality.We understand the powerful force of our own sexuality and we preserve it.By preserving the sexuality and channeling it upward to the higher energy chakras we open our hearts
and our brains to ecstasy. Bhakti Yoga is not the only Yoga that believes in the preservation of the life force.
What process do you know that encourages the squeezing out of the life force as much as possible?
The controlling of the life force starts wth the tongue.
First there is the vibrating of the mantra Hare Krishna Hare Krishna.Then there is the eating of foodstuffs(vegetarian)
offered to Krishna as a sanctification. There is a direct line from the tongue to the belly then the genitals.
Its quite simple to align the chakras and raise up the spiritual energy in this way.I invite anyone who is frustrated with their
attempt to gratify physical desires to try it.
Although, strangely, some people need to be told to follow their heart. Since, of course, they follow everyone around them, it takes someone around them to say, stop doing what others tell you.
One of the most annoying and delightful paradoxes.
One could say, of course, that they are doing what they choose to do-- maybe it's you who wants to change them to your interests. Whether it be personal gain, or satisfaction, it still seems to be driven by those who seek something, to say, "Are you sure that is the truth?"
But, truth, again, is experiential, and what one decides to believe.
This gives you the freedom to believe anything, and do anything possible, which includes railing against all contrary beliefs. Or accepting them. Or killing. Or suicide. Or saving. Or attempt to interfere with another's free will. Which, technically, seems to be impossible, but it can be given up. Eventually, a conflict might arise, and problems arise.
So, it seems, that everything is going just the way it has happened. All the actions, interpretations, perspectives, ideas, beliefs, has all led up to this moment. It's just about gaining new perspective on what has happened, and is happened.
At least, that's what I think.
("You" is meant in a general sense, nothing personal Einstein. Is that your actual name?)
Tantra does not advocate the wasting and draining of the life force.White or Black the sexual energy is internalized for higher Spiritual Purposes. Fire is a powerful force-- it can be used to warm a cold room or cook a meal or it can burn and destroy. How you use it becomes your responsibility.It can be used for peaceful means or destruction and you suffer or enjoy the result.Chanting of the Holy Names of Krishna is considered to be like an elevator to a higher platform of love. Most of what goes on in Tantra is misunderstood.Shiva taught the imperishable science to His wife Paravati
This is what I don't understand about some people in general. Running about talking about this one and that ones teaching or gospel or being a follower of this dude and that dude................WHY in this day and age are people STILL following so-called "gurus" & "masters" when you are your best teacher! We all have our OWN path back to source and no two paths are ever the same! Every and I mean EVERY religion and belief structure on this planet is tainted with untruths and misconceptions and even if someone told you something is true, it won't be true for you unless it "feels" right.
"I was shocked, not realizing, until then, that simply by dint of concentrated chanting, all the lesser yogas of breath control had been achieved by me at a very young age" (ego).
Well done, I should give you a medal!
I am trying to stick to the dharma and not make things up. The thread of this discussion is that it doesnt matter your sexual orientation... whatever it is you can get enlightenment and make progress to the truth.
We believe in devotion.There are billions of people in the world like us. Get used to it.
The trouble with the world is not God or religion.Its blind hatred for others beliefs.
I am sharing information on this network just like many thousands of other members do.You have a right to accept it or reject it. Why dont you try to go beyond your bigotry and hatred and see that this is not an archaic technique of spirituality.
As the Buddha said--- ( Who happened to be an avatra of Vishnu for a specific purpose) we are each others mirrors.