Monday, July 19, 2010

LEV LE'ACHIM against Hare Krishna

B"H

For far more than ten years, the Hare Krisha sect has been around in Tel Aviv. Their main center is located in Ben Yehudah Street and almost every Shabbat, the Krishnas dance around the beach area (Herbert Samuel Street) in Tel Aviv. People walking around the beach promenade find it rather amusing. Those Krishna people dancing around in funny Indian dresses, however, youngsters may be attrackted by the rather peculiar (cool) look. What I noticed is the high amount of Russian speakers joining the sect.

Last night the anti - missionary organization "Lev Le'Achim" was speaking out a warning on the haredi radio channel "Kol Ba'Ramah", as more and more Israeli parents seeing their children involved in the Hare Krishna sect. What the sect is trying to do is brainwashing the newcomers and turning them into idol - worshippers. The sect doesn't want the newcomers having any further contact with the parents.

I think that those Hare Krishnas dancing at the beach just look like a bunch of insane people in dirty clothes. Screaming their "Hare, Hare" phrases a thousand times like madman.

18 comments:

  1. Santhira Kumar MadhavanJuly 20, 2010 at 5:45 AM

    You forgot that it is in India that you have never been persecuted. All over the world your people have been hunted and skinned alive.

    India protected, maintained and nourished you because of Sri Krishna teachings in Bhagavad Gita. Yet you are now persecuting the Krishna devotees.

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  2. (Hahray) Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare (Rawmah), Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare are just name of God. How sad for you in your country that singing the names of God is considered screaming or insane.

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  3. B"H

    No one is being persecuted in Israel due to his religion. However, Israel is a JEWISH State and the Palestinians have their own religion. In Judaism, Islam is NOT considered as idol - worship but worshipping idols (statues), as the Krishnas do is total idol - worship.

    Furthermore, the Krishnas in Israel (same as anywhere else in the world) are regarded as a violent sect which is separating its members from their families.

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  4. It is understandable from Jewish perspective to consider Vaishnavism idol worship, however this is because of a lack of deep understanding of religious principles. It is understandable but highly regrettable that your scholarship is so limited as to exclude religions and traditions much older than yours.

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  5. B"H

    No one is forcing you to a certain religion. However, in case you are not Jewish: The task of every non - Jew is to follow the Seven Noachide Laws. This means that also Gentiles accept ONE G - d who created the entire universe und reigns over all of us. There is no other G - d but the Creator who led the Jews out of Egypt.

    According the Torah there is no further religion or other G - d. There is only ONE G - d who we have to accept.

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  6. santhira Kumar MadhavanJuly 21, 2010 at 9:52 AM

    Dear Miriam Woelke,
    I understand that you have shallow knowledge of Judaism because you are still only reading the Torah and have not advanced to the Kabbalah.

    Perhaps when you read the Kabbalah, your views about Sri Krishna will change.

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  7. B"H

    Kabbalah = Inner secrets of the Torah and therefore the Kabbalah is Torah. Why then should I change my viewpoint away from Torah ?

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  8. www.equalsouls.org
    Historically Christian and Muslim faiths have their roots in Judaism, Abraham.
    so at their core concepts about the soul, creation and God are all the same.

    I would like to address certain linguistic and philosophical similarities common to both Jews and Hindus, which may open up a broader discussion.

    1. Names of God,
    a. The most holy of all names of God for a Jew is KNA or KANA, Rabbi's have slapped my face when I have said this name out loud.
    This is considered to be the most intimate name for God in the Old Testament. Where it is translated, "I am a jealous God,
    have no other gods before you", the literal Hebrew translation is, "My name is EL KNA, have no other gods before you."
    This name expands to KRE ShTN as Rabbi Aryeh Kapln,in Meditation and the Kabbalah explains
    "On Monday, you must intertwine the associated name "KRE ShTN""

    b, From a Vedic (Hindu) view point, Kana is also an affectionate name of Krishna, The pronunciation used above "KRE ShTN" is very similar to
    the way south Indians pronounce Krishna.

    2. Abraham and Brahma: Very few know that there are two Abrahams in Jewish philosophy
    a. There is a description of how the universe was in chaos until Abraham appeared. It is said, "Over the whole, there hovered Tohu (chaos)
    and as long as Tohu dominated, the whole world was not in being or existence. When did that key open the gates and make the world fruitful?
    It was when Abraham appeared." [Genesis II 4] As explained in the introduction to the Zohar The Soncino Press LTD--London New York
    There is also this reference one needs to ponder It is said, "Angels are supposed to have no back and four faces, so always to be able to behold God."
    [Talmud, cf. Ezek i. 6]

    b. In the First Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, there is a long description of how Brahma created the planets, stars etc. It is well know that the Brahma
    of this universe has 4 heads.

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  9. They are singing HArvey Kirschner,Harvey Kirschner....

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  10. B"H

    To the person who sent me the detailed comment:

    I don't really want to go into a deeper discussion about Hinduism, Hare Krishna or whatever. According to Judaism, this is all real idol - worship ! It doesn't matter if you start comparisons between similar ideas or ideologies.

    Further you are making the same mistake as Christians: Fitting Jewish writings / commentaries into your system. Meaning, you didn't get the true point: There is only one G - d !!!

    Your comparison between Avraham and some strange ideas are totally misunderstood. In the case of Avraham, CHAOS has a totally different meaning:

    Not Chaos but Avraham brought Kindness and the idea of ONE G - d to humankind (to the generation after the flood). The Tohu from the time before creation and the Chaos during the times of Avraham are totally misinterpreted. It is completely wrong what you are saying, as the Chaos has different concepts.

    It looks like you are just taking the Zohar or Rabbi Kaplan and then do your own thing.

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  11. I would just like to remind Miriam Woelke, the author of this article, to respect Human Rights as given in Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Article 18 of Universal Declaration says:

    * Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

    In your comment above you are calling members of Hare Krishna movement a "violent sect". I would kindly ask you to go again and look at them. Do you see anything violent in people dancing and singing the name of (their) God?

    Jewish people, who suffered from religious intolerance for centuries, are known to be more tolerant of others. With you, sister Miriam, this is unfortunately not the case. I wish God to show you the way.

    Shalom,

    Jura Nanuk

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  12. It is so sad to see that instead of feeling true love and compassion to all sentient beings as is described in all the holy scriptures of the world including the Vedic scriptures & Torah, you are yourself discriminating and causing offenses to those souls who are worshiping God and trying to give joy, peace and love to others. There is only one God and if you had proper knowledge of Hinduism, you would know that at the highest level, they too talk about the ultimate reality of one God. Only ignorant people think Hindus are "idol worshippers" - there are many aspects and faces and attributes of God (hence diff names of God and diff deities) but only ONE God - and its not "the Jewish God that lead the JEWS out of Egypt" but ONE God who loves all His children equally as we are all part and parcel of Him - and furthermore, how ridiculous and illogical to say the Jews have a special/Jewish soul different from the rest of the sentient beings, that is really an elitist philosophy just like the Nazi German's had & exactly that mentality that created the holocaust. Now to me, that is not accepting all of Gods creation and children, that is exclusive philosophy (not inclusive) and to me, that is a violent cult. Not physically violent, but emotionally and energetically violent. Now, I have gone to a Chabad school all my life and have been blessed to have learnt some good religious principles, but then I was blessed to have been introduced to yoga and have been able to see everything from a higher level perspective without attachment to conditionings. Let's show love and respect to all beings of God's creation in a humble state of mind. Shalom & Haribol :-) leah

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  13. B"H

    There is no tolerance and love for idol - worship which your Krishna crap is.

    If you have any complaints, complain to G - d, as, according to the Torah, worshipping idols is one of the most severe sins.

    You can justify yourself as you like: You are an idol - worshipper !!!

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  14. Miriam, just to prove my point you have acted in the exact way I predicted you would- where is the tolerance? Doesnt it teach in the Torah to be loving, kind and TOLERANT? Or only to Jewish people? I have seen first hand true sages and saints of the yoga/Vedic lineage who have reached elevation and God realization. Who don't get attached to material world like unfortunately most of us do.
    And so why do you, Miriam, get so defensive & irritated by what I say? Its simply my factual observations and experience... You can call it what you like, idol worshiping or worshiping the one and only Almighty who goes by many names in different traditions. And please exPlain what it meant in the Torah when it said "God created us in His image? What image? Spiritual image? Doesn't image = idol? Or you want to define it to suit you. And for your information(which I'm sure you are aware of being so well informed) the word yehudi meaning the Jews NEVER appears in the Torah. Please open your heart, be tolerant and all inclusive and don't create severe offenses to the great sages and saints of all traditions and paths. It's all part of Gods creation.

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  15. B"H

    The Torah teaches not to worship idols.

    I am not getting irritated at all but this is a JEWISH blog and about Jewish matters. And trying to prostelyze with idols is a Jewish matter.

    Created in His image means that we humans have understanding and common sense. Further, we possess morality, free will, reason, we can love G - d and have a spiritual communion with him. As long as it is not idol - worship.:-)

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  16. Thanks Miriam:) I'm not promoting worshiping any images or idols, God is imageless, but all I'm saying is we need to respect all traditions - I don't agree with any group trying to convert anyone else into their faith. But I do know some Hare Krishna's, and they are not violent and very sweet- believe in not hurting any sentient being including animals. The occasional violence of any sort that occurs can happen within any religion including ours. Thank for your email back. :-)

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  17. B"H

    I think that the Krishnas are treated nicely, as there is no protest when they dance around at the Tel Aviv beach. Howveer, being a member of a cult is never good for the soul.

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