[Posted September 28, 2007]

Religious books in prisons to be censored selected

Hansadutta das

Who is qualified to decide what is bogus and what is bona fide?

New York TimesSeptember 27, 2007 - NEELA BANERJEE

Prisons to Restore Purged Religious Books

The bureau originally set out to take an inventory of all materials in its chapel libraries to weed out books that might incite violence. But the list grew to the tens of thousands, and the bureau decided instead to compile lists of acceptable materials in a plan called the Standardized Chapel Library Project. The plan identifies about 150 items for each of 20 religions or religious categories.

In the spring, prison chaplains were told to remove all materials not on the lists. The bureau said it planned to issue additions to the lists once a year. Chaplains packed up libraries with thousands of books collected over decades. Unidentified religious experts helped the bureau shape the lists of acceptable materials, which independent scholars said omitted many important religious texts.

Bob Moore, director of prison policy oversight at Aleph, an advocacy group for Jews in prison, said the lack of detail and transparency about how the lists were determined troubled him. go to story

The Bhaktivedantas World Sankirtan Party and Inside Nam Hatta are hosted by Hansadutta das, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada and trustee of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Participate or learn more about World Sankirtan Party.

Religiosity

Truth to Atheist's Claim that America's Religiosity is Exaggerated A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

There is no religion. Strictly speaking, simply some dogmas, maybe some moral principles. That is another thing. But moral principles we have to transcend. We don't say that don't follow moral principles. But even they do not follow the moral principles. Then what is the..., where is the religion? Just like Christian religion, it is said that "Thou shalt not kill.'' But everyone is killing. So nobody's... Factually, religion means conception of God and the words of God, all over the world. Just like good citizen means he knows what is the government and what is the law of government. He is following. Similarly, religious person means he must know what is God and what are the words of God. So our principle is that we follow the words of God. God says, God says that "Always think of Me.'' So who can object to this, if he's seriously about religion? Why one should not think of God always? more

Hands off the books! Government has unclean hands.

So the Prison Bureau authorities are worried that prisoners will pick up violence from religious texts. Everybody knows that violence is okay when it comes in the shape of beef and chicken or whatever species of meat they cut up and serve out in prison canteens. And sex and violence on the prison TV screens, sex novels and porn magazines are all wholesome American pie, but inmates need to be protected from books on religion. Scary stuff indeed. What's really scary is the strong likelihood that the people who are going to determine which books will be allowed on prison chapel library shelves neither know what are religious principles nor follow them. "Join us for lunch, Reverend? We're gonna try out the new steak house." "Sorry, Father, don't have time. The Prison Bureau wants this list by 4 o'clock today. But bring me a hamburger, will you?"

HANSADUTTA: The attraction of Krishna consciousness is that it is practical. Everything begins by example. If your father smokes, then you will smoke. If he drinks, you will drink, in spite of what he says. In the present day and age, practically everywhere the leaders of religion have deviated and do not follow the principles of their own religious doctrines. Naturally the young people reject them. They are seeking some alternative. If they find the right example, they will accept it. The people do not follow religious principles because the priests do not follow. The priests are smoking, drinking and mixing with women. How can anyone accept that? What is the difference between the priests and ordinary men?

REPORTER: But this means the young person has to have the discernment even to do that; otherwise he will follow another false leader.

HANSADUTTA: The difficulty in America now is that so many bogus religious leaders are popping up, because no one has any discrimination. Nevertheless, there are genuine religious leaders. It is just that the government does not know how to recognize and protect them, and at the same time root out those who are not bona fide. The government leaders themselves are irreligious. Our leaders are the problem.

REPORTER: Do you believe that the government should sustain or protect the principles of religion?

HANSADUTTA: The principles of religion are truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy and self-control. Our leaders are neither truthful, merciful, nor self-controlled. It is taken for granted that public leaders tell so many lies while campaigning and will bribe and do so many illegal things in the name of the law when they are in office. It is taken for granted that they will act in this way, and that means the people will also follow their example. The people will become untruthful, uncontrolled and selfish. The four principles of irreligion are animal killing, intoxication, illicit sex and gambling. The government supports slaughterhouses, breweries, nightclubs and gambling casinos.

Young people by nature will search out higher ideals. That is the nature of young people, especially in America, where there is so much freedom. They get education and freedom of religion.

REPORTER: Yet many of them apparently have been led astray.

HANSADUTTA: Anything that is not protected by the government will become corrupt, and because the government itself is corrupt, there is much corruption even in the field of religion. Nevertheless there are genuine spiritual leaders. This movement is a genuine spiritual movement. One must examine it carefully, rather than lump it together with everything else that has disappointed people.

REPORTER: Is this the only genuine movement?

HANSADUTTA: It may not be the only genuine movement, but we have not been able to find anything more genuine; therefore we have accepted it, and religionists and scholars are accepting it as well. Even the government is accepting it as something genuine, not something faddish or fashionable. It is based on a great tradition. We have over 60 volumes of books, which are translations from the original Sanskrit. We base all our activities on the books.

REPORTER: How is it that a movement that has come out of the Orient attracts and draws to it Western youth almost exclusively?

HANSADUTTA: Our movement has spread worldwide. Krishna consciousness attracts people all over the world because its principles are universal spiritual principles, independent of any particular place, time or circumstance.

Sri Guru and Gauranga