Opinion Archives

Least But Not Last

Satyaraja Dasa (Steven J. Rosen)

I recently heard a woman say, “least but not last.” She meant to say the usual, “last but not least,” but somehow, due to a slip of the lip, or perhaps because of some mild form of dyslexia, she inverted the words in this somewhat humorous way. And this got me thinking about humility, which people sometimes confuse with low self-esteem, thus viewing it as an inferior quality. To think of oneself as “least” is the last thing one would want to do.

Parallel Worlds: Who’s the Mother of Magic Realism?

Mukunda Goswami

What do C.S. Lewis, Quentin Tarantino and J.K. Rowling have in common? Maybe nothing, but here's what I think. One, all will have hit the big screen by December 2005; two, all are considered innovators; three, all have written about their characters entering a parallel world.

Hugging: A Touchy Subject

Tulasi-priya Dasi

I don't really like hugging, but there are some people--male and female--that I feel so much affection for, that I force myself to show it in that fashion. Other times, the hug is just a social formality, or even a kind of preaching.

We Have Met the Enemy, and He is Us

Krishna Dharma Dasa

We can blame others for our problems but hatred, envy, anger, lust and greed are the actual enemies we face. Some of us succumb to them rather more than others, and hence dissent arises on one scale or another. But all of us find these nuisances assailing us at times, and when they do our peace of mind is naturally disturbed. In such a condition we become likely candidates for conflict, often turning on whoever happens to be available at the time.

Stem Cells at the Water Cooler

Vyenkata Bhatta Dasa (Vineet Chander)

When we are confronted with topical issues, the best answers are usually ones that acknowledge the complexity of the issue, and own up to the fact that Hare Krishna devotees – like followers of most faith traditions – may not all share the same interpretation. It might be tempting to simply conclude “ISKCON is for this,” or “all devotees of Krishna must be against that,” but it is much wiser to resist that temptation and instead focus on the principles that help devotees deal with the grey areas.

The Cause of Crime

Krishna Dharma Dasa

Does prison work? Is it tough on crime and its causes? Figures show that 60% of prisoners re-offend within two years of release. Prison, of course, is an excellent place to meet criminals and learn new tricks. The Vedas point out how our consciousness is quickly shaped by our association, which in prisons is hardly of the best kind.

Keeping Good Men Good

Kripamoya Dasa

The lesson from history is that men become corrupt when in close contact with power, money, women and followers. Our little ISKCON blind spot is a vague, if not articulated antinomianism - the belief that when men achieve the grace of God they rise above the laws of God - and somehow the laws of nature.

Krishna: Expert Dancer, Uninhibited Lover

Caitanya Caran Dasa

"I would believe in a God who could dance", said German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. During his time, God was generally portrayed as a frozen perfection, remote, static, and wholly unsociable. No wonder he was disillusioned by this stereotypical idea of God.

Global Warming: Science Or Politics?

Syun-Ichi Akasofu

When millennial climate change patterns are mentioned, many people point to the "2,500 scientists from 130 countries" who have agreed that global warming is caused by the greenhouse effect. Yet not even the International Panel of Climate Change to which these people refer presents definitive scientific proof that the present warming is mostly caused by the greenhouse effect.