In reply to Vyapaka's much needed warning about the GBC's "changes in our by-laws": Yes, this issue is vital to our movement's unity and must be properly applied. All of us, Srila Prabhupada's followers, share the responsibility to maintain Srila Prabhupada's legacy and safeguard his temples, even from "internal" threats like this bureaucratic centralization. Such a change will only disempower and discourage the local devotees in their dedication to preserve ISKCON's mission and assets.

The GBC's mandate is to preserve Srila Prabhupada's mission "as it is": as Srila Prabhupada instructed us all on his actual vision for self-sufficient temples and followers. And he warned us not to regress to material schemes for centralized management. As you rightly stated, our allegiance to both him and his institution is born of inspiration and not legislation. Of course, such allegiance also requires proper organization and transparent leadership.

This whole attempt of legalistic centralization is both short-sighted and very counter-productive and must be left aside. If each temple has on its board of directors a local GBC, that will insure that no "seperatist" attempt to "steal" a temple can ever occur. That will suffice to both preserve our unity and our fidelity to Srila Prabhupada.