GBC moves to take control of North American temples.

The following letter and attachments have arrived in my email box this afternoon detailing suggested changes to local Iskcon incorporation laws. I have had only time to read parts of the "Revised BylawsNNdV", but it has caused me some alarm.

In effect, these proposed changes remove control over all centres from the local devotees to the GBC. The purpose is not to bash the GBC but this action seems highly shortsighted and unauthorized. Srila Prabhupada writes in many places where this authority should not be allocated in this way.

If you are uncertain about this please read Srila Prabhupada's letter written to Karandhara dasa re. centralizing administration. This is just one of many quotes from Srila Prabhupada that can be sourced in this regard.

Srila Prabhupada clearly advised against any such move. It also seems improper that the various temple administrators are given such short notice to make such a drastic change seemingly incongruent with Srila Prabhupada's orders. Perhaps Bhakti Marga Swami could explain the reasoning behind such a change to us all.

Undoubtedly, the movement is going through difficult times but caution must be exercised not to allow knee-jerk reactions to matters which have such broad and long term implications. It is reported below that some temples have already fallen in line. However, I would caution that much more thought needs to be exercised before taking this direction. In my study of Srila Prabhupada's instructions I have never come across any edict providing the GBC with such powers.

Kuladri dasa's letter to Bhaktimarg Swami and Krsna dasa Kaviraja dasa "request their [temples'] cooperation in completing the forms asap." So this obviously cannot be made mandatory. Each temple is incorporated individually and an outside entity, even an "ecclesiastical" one, cannot demand compliance. My advice is to think this one through very carefully. It is improper that temple administrators be given such short notice to enact such a serious matter.

Respectfully,

Vyapaka dasa

Dear Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Bhaktimarga Maharaja has asked me to forward this e-mail to all of you. It is just to encourage all of us to adopt these bylaws ASAP. ISKCON- Brampton opened with these bylaws in place. Unfortunately ISKCON- Toronto has yet to adopt them. We will be doing so at our next Temple council meeting. The officers of the Corporation just need to vote them in and a copy kept with the corporate papers.

I pray this finds you all in good health and ever-increasing Krsna consciousness.

Your servant,
Krsnadasa Kaviraja dasa

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kuladridas@aol.com
Date: Jan 5, 2007 12:14 PM
Subject: NA Survey
To: Bhaktimarga.Swami@pamho.net, krsnadas.chris@gmail.com

Dear Maharaj and KdK Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances. all glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Attached is a form survey that we are sending throughout temples in NA. The results are to be presented at the Dallas meetings.

Would you send this to the Canadian temples and request their cooperation in completing the forms asap. Coming from you both will insure greater participation.

Please decide whether they should send the results to you or me directly.

Thank you for your help. Any questions please let me know.

Your servant,
Kuladri das

Temple Survey

Name of the temple ___________________ ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Please state your name and contact info _________________

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ Bylaws

· Have you adopted the new bylaws? Please state any problems if any that may have kept you from adopting the bylaws 
_____________________________

· Have your directors signed the oath also? _________________

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ Insurance Compliance

As you may remember, the GBC resolved that all NA temples must obtain liability insurance. Some of our financial obligations due to lawsuits, specifically the current abuse case, could have been dramatically reduced if temples had carried insurance. In addition, any calamity that occurs on temple property, potentially jeopardizes the ownership and financial stability of a temple that remains uninsured.

· What is the current status of your temple's insurance? ___________

· Who is the person responsible to obtain your insurance? Please give the contact info. __________________________

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ Financial Solvency

· How is your temple doing financially? __________________

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ · NA EC requires all temples to use Quickbooks as their accounting package? Have you met the compliance? _________________

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ Fundraising: Prasadam Bars,

You may also remember that Bhakti Caru Swami has offered to manufacture Balaram and Krishna Prasad Bar for temples. He will offer them at his cost price to the temples as an additional source for your temple's income, profits for the youth fund.

In the Alachua meeting, the presidents voted overwhelmingly to endorse the project. So we are prepared to begin manufacturing the Prasad Bars and would like your commitment to market the prasad to your congregation and guests, as well as use the bars as gifts for your donors.

We are asking temples to place an order, between $1000 to $2000, as a pledge to assure the initial distribution and get this opportunity started. The estimated cost of a Krishna Bar is $0.75. Any temple should be able to invest such a small amount in a wonderful project that has the potential to raise significant income immediately and for years after. Please give us your commitment. ______________________________

GBC suggested Bylaws for ISKCON Temples
(Word download)

Now you can listen to the ancient sanskrit chants of Bhagavad Gita, sung in classical melodies by noted devotional singer Sri Vidyabhushana. Listen to all 700 verses of the Gita with a beautiful accompaniment of flute, veena, sitar, mridanga, tabla and tala. (Scroll down to listen to it online.)

Set includes 10 audio CDs (7 CDs of sanskrit chants, 2 CDs containing english translations for the entire Bhagavad Gita, and 1 CD providing an introductory lecture on the Bhagavad Gita by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada).