ISKCON - A boon or a curse?

Ok...may be not an ideal way to start blogging. But this has been on mind for far too long and I just want to spill my guts here. Don't get me wrong. ISKCON has done yomen service by spreading Krishna-Bhakthi across the world. My association with ISKCON goes back at least 10 years or so. My friend took me to ISKCON where I was told to buy Japa-beads, Gopi-chandan and a copy of Baghavad Gita. As an innocent teenager, I didnt know much and never questioned their methods. I brought these aforementioned stuff home, did the japa for a day or two and promptly forgot about it. Year rolled as I came to Detroit Michigan after finishing my MS. I envied the Devotees at the Detroit ISKCON center. I watched the happy Krishna-Bhakthas in awe and wondered what is the true meaning of happiness. As usual, I promprtly forgot about it and continued with my life.

As I moved to Sacramento 3-4 years back, I got in touch with the local ISKCON group. I liked the home setting of ISKCON here in Sacramento. I was instantly absorbed into the core group of Devotees. I became a regular face at ISKCON and never failed to show up for Baghavad Gita class or Sunday programs. Since I am a Brahmana, my spiritual knowledge and ability to grasp spiritual concepts at a faster rate impressed many. But all this time, something did not feel right. I always felt something is missing. Just as thousands of other devotees who wanted to learn Hinduism in the USA (I call them "late-bloomers" - it took us a while to understand the greatness and values of Sanathan Dharma) end up at ISKCON, I too was content with their theories with a million open holes but was too busy to care for any of that.

Ok, let me get straight to the problem here. After my long, long association with ISKCON, I am able to pin-point my grindings with ISKCON.

1. Their utter disregard to any other scriptures or books outside of ISKCON. Their Guru Prabhupada had strictly warned the ISKCONnites against even gazing at books written by non-ISKCONnites.
2. Their absolute lack of knowledge in Shruthi and Smrithi.
3. Their misleading way of showing ISKCON as the "Vedic" way. In fact, if there is anything, ISKCON is very anti-Vedic. First of all, Puraanas are a way of understanding Vedas for the common man. It is funny how ISKCONnits call themselves a "Vedic" group while they cannot even acknowledge the 4 Maha-Vakhyas of the Vedhas. "Tat-tvam-asi", "Adhyaathma Brahman", "Pragyanam Brahman" and "Aham Brahmasmi". Even a lay man could understand the maha-vakhyas. It perplexes me how the Hare Krishnas fail to reason them!
4. I have read their books, listened to their lectures (even from their highest Guru - Prabhupada). Let me tell you something, there is nothing special about them. After a point, their knowledge becomes stale. They keep grinding the old flour again and again.
5. Their knack of brain-washing spiritual aspirants. They put nonsense philosophies such as "demi-Gods", "Lord Shiva is a demi-God", "Shankara is a rascal" into aspirer's head. I have personally seen their brain-washing session live! It frankly disgusts me.
6. They go against Lord Krishna's concept of "4-varnas" and create a 5th varna called "Vaishnava". Now, this might be unique to our group in Sacramento, as I cannot generalize it. I want to scream loud at them saying "Vaishnava is a man-made term; no 'Vedhic' scriptures talk of it". It is funny that they call themselves superior to Brahmanas. First of all, no one is superior to any one. Lord Krishna says "panditah sama darshinah" (a learned scholar sees everyone/everytyhing as the same - read Advaitham here).
7. They take Lord Krishna's verses from Baghavad Gita and Srimad Baghavatham, twist the meanings and present their own erroneous views and call them "as-it-is". Every time I read their books it makes me want to laugh. How could they be so naive and ignorant? How can devotees fall into their trap?
8. This is my biggest grudge yet! I see many SmArthas getting initiated in ISKCON and it just grinds my gears. SmArthism is the only concept of Hinduism that creates envy in the western world. It is the essense of Vedhas, Shastras and Sanathan Dharma. It pains to see these Vedhic Brahamans giving up their position and joining these cults.
9. It pains to see these promoted "Brahmanas" within ISKCON killing Vedha-Adhyaanam by reciting mantras with a horrible pronunciation. Please leave Vedha-Adhyaanaam and rituals to qualified Brahmanas.
10. Their inability to understand that varna is purely based on birth by ones Karmas and guna. Lord Krishna says that many times in BG.

Some of my friends say that ISKCONnites are just wanna-be Brahamanas. They hide their in-security well by bashing other schools of thoughts. That is why even real Vaishnavaas (Madhava-Vaishnava, Sri-Vaishnava) would never accept a ISKCONnite to be a Vaishnava.

I am going to end this blog by saying that ISKCON is a neo-religious cult and it is a failed attempt to create "Hinduism for dummies". Dear brothers and sister, stay away from ISKCON. Go to their programs but stay away from their philosophies. Parents, make sure that your children do not stray into ISKCON territories.

You add a drop of poison in a big pot of milk. The entire pot become a waste. The same applied to ISKCON with their hate propagands agaisnt Adi Shankara's Advaitha philosophy.