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Philosophy: The importance of knowing philosophy?

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    • CommentAuthorGopalaGuru
    • CommentTimeMar 15th 2008
     
    Recently i have met with a former ISKCON member who is now part of the Advaitites, One of his main reasons for leaving ISKCON was that he was a very inquiring mind, and lived life for knowledge, when he did make inquiries from the temple devotees he was given sentimental answers like "chant and you realise", "chant and it will be ok", "just chant prabhu, do not worry" , which was not comforting to him, he needed proper answers which he was not getting, even though the mayavadi philosophy is an incorrect path, they did however give him answers and not sentiments, and that is where he is now...

    He left ISKCON because the devotees who were "superior" to him, and who were reasons for him being there in the first place, did not know enough philosophy to answer him... how do we get devotees to learn more, and be less sentimental, after all this is a preaching movement, the sankirtana movement, its every devotees duty to know, understand, and preach...?
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      CommentAuthorVEDA
    • CommentTimeMar 15th 2008
     
    Very important. Prabhupada wanted devotees to be able to explain everything so they would be recognized as the most intelligent people around. So if a devotee doesn't know an answer, he should find it and if he can't he should refer the sincerely inquiring person to someone who can explain it.

    But in many cases such person is either considered a 'speculator', esp. when he doesn't ask humbly (which is hard to expect from people nowadays), and brushed away, or the false ego prevents a devotee to send that person to a proper source. In this way some intellectual persons go away, which is a loss both for them and ISKCON and certainly doesn't please Prabhupada. That is my observation.
    • CommentAuthorGopalaGuru
    • CommentTimeMar 15th 2008
     
    How can we easily (conveniently) help with a devotees philosophy, as in motivating and teaching?
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      CommentAuthorVEDA
    • CommentTimeMar 15th 2008
     
    By one's own example on personal level and by establishing more seminars and courses like VIHE or MIHE on institutional level.

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