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SRF Walrus
Mt. Washington, Ca
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ompen
Registered User
(1/26/06 5:55 pm)
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Homeless Devotees
Please pray for the many homeless devotees and give more support to them. Wondering how you can help someone? One idea:The middle aged woman with glasses of the Encinitas SRF area needs a studio apartment, etc. paid for. Be more generous because karma is no excuse not to be. Peace...

Paramadas
Registered User
(1/26/06 9:52 pm)
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Re: Homeless Devotees
Ompen,
Many devotees have attempted to help said devotee, but she has, as far as I know, refused all help. One SRF couple who knew her well in years gone by, tried to help her and she threatened to get a restraining order against them. For many years she tended the flowers in front of the temple, and she did a very good job, but Brother Ramananda kicked her out of her position. After that, her mental condition worsened rapidly. I mean, if you're having trouble with your sanity, it must be emotionally devastating to be rejected by the people you thought cared about you.
Another devotee I know in the area worked for 25 years in the SRF print shop. When the repetitive nature of his work started giving him health problems, he requested a transfer to another department, which was denied. Repeated requests for a transfer were all denied by SRF. Finally his health was so bad that the had to quit, and SRF gave him absolutely NOTHING for a quarter of a century work of service. Now that I think about it, I think I mentioned his sad plight somewhere on another thread on the Walrus (I wish it were easier to find old posts on the EZBoard).
Anyway, it's not just homeless devotees who need help. SRF's heartlessness has created a number of similar cases---SRF's walking wounded.

Edited by: Paramadas at: 1/26/06 9:54 pm
Used Yogi
Registered User
(1/26/06 11:19 pm)
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Re: Homeless Devotees
Paramadas, how true. SRF's attitude toward devotees can be summed up as: "there's plenty more where they came from."


Used Yogi

maggie mcclintock
Registered User
(1/27/06 12:36 pm)
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Re: Homeless Devotees
I knew of another story that I heard from the Hare Krishnas in Encinitas. It goes like this: A certain elderly Indian couple came to the retreat for help since they were srf members. They had left a home in which they were staying with friends or relatives, and it had become a very dangerous situation for them. They wanted a place to stay for the night because they were broke and had not even brought their belongings with them. They were told that there was no room at the Inn. So the woman told them to go to Mukunda's store. The store was closed, so they went behind the building and stayed all night standing up. When the owner's of the store arrived in the morning, they were freezing. They were actually huddled in a corner. So they took them in. Then they called the Hare Krishna's, and the owner's of this certain store got them a plane ticket to India, while the Hara Krishna's drove them to the airport. Hey, rules are rules. Forget about compassion. Forget about thinking for yourself and helping them, but I imagine that the woman who sent them away felt somewhat bad.

So now Ramananda had not allowed a woman to work in the garden due to her disabilities. How cruel. Perhaps it wouldn't look good to have someone like her around. It might cause people to not want to step into the building.
I have heard of similiar stories about people leaving and getting no pension.

Used Yogi is correct: There's plenty more where they came from.

Edited by: maggie mcclintock at: 2/2/06 10:33 am
metheuse
Registered User
(1/27/06 11:02 pm)
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those whom SRF treats like royalty
"....there's plenty more where they came from" does not apply to the rich, whom SRF treats like royalty.

Edited by: metheuse at: 1/27/06 11:09 pm
SayItIsntSo
Registered User
(1/31/06 9:38 pm)
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ezSupporter

Re: those whom SRF treats like royalty
I'm so pleased to see the Walurs is still breathing. Thanks for the posts and I hope there is more generous news to come out of SRF. Even those who gave more than they could afford were not always treated better. They didn't seem to miss my money when it was gone. And it was regular income.

Spot the Looney

Paramadas
Registered User
(2/1/06 11:22 pm)
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working families deserve respect, and a decent wage
Someone suggested to me that SRF was wise to invest in real estate instead of giving their employees desperately needed pay raises. Here is my response:
"Your argument for screwing the workers and investing in real estate is exactly the sort of argument you'd expect from someone like Dale Carnegie, not SRF. If Master taught you anything it should be that caring for others, looking out for their interests, is the greatest spiritual wisdom. "Looking out for number two" is the way Brother Premamoy used to put it. Care and concern for others is paramount, not just because it's good karma, but it is also good spiritual training. To say, "Screw you, if you don't like working here find another job" is an example of the grosest spiritual negligence. One would think that SRF would be more compassionate towards those who choose to serve the work. They have a right to a decent living wage. To do otherwise is to disrespect them, and the families that depend on their salary. SRF's conduct is shameful, and I am surprised to hear such heartlessness from you for agreeing with them. Working families deserve respect. They deserve to have a decent life, and a living wage."

Used Yogi
Registered User
(2/6/06 9:18 am)
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Re: working families deserve respect, and a decent wage
Paramadas,

In other words, what you're saying is they deserve not to work for SRF. :rollin

SRF devotees that remain and that are still working for SRF should look for jobs in the outside world for their own good. The pay is far greater and you'll develop skills and experience you need to succeed in the world. Plus SRF doesn't respect the sacrifices employees make. They only respect the rich.

Vivekananda said in his Karma Yoga book that it was the job of a householder to make what money he could to provide for his family, for what that's worth. Yogananda praised Vivekananda.

SRF doesn't teach you how to succeed in the world. Their idea of success in the material world is bugging rich people for money like prostitutes. I don't know how they can do that and keep any self-respect. Then again I don't know how they can pay employees low wages, lay them off while buying more real estate, and keep any self-respect. One thing is for certain: they are not the spiritual organization they claim to be.


Used Yogi

SayItIsntSo
Registered User
(2/13/06 8:11 pm)
Reply
ezSupporter

Re: working families deserve respect, and a decent wage
I believe and I could be wrong, that most devotees who work for SRF feel blessed and special and therefore work for less because they are working for their guru, etc.

Spot the Looney

Used Yogi
Registered User
(2/15/06 11:45 am)
Reply
Re: working families deserve respect, and a decent wage
Yes, you're right. SRF makes it known that Yogananda said things like "you have no idea what blessings from God you are getting by serving this work." It is a good way of getting people to work for a fraction of what they could make somewhere else: promise something intangible that people won't question.

The problem with this is SRF won't look out for anything except their bank account balance, as was demonstrated when they laid off lots of dedicated employees (supposedly because they were short on money) while at the same time making expensive real estate purchases that they didn't want to make known (like the corner property on PCH that Paramadas mentioned). That came after years of hype about how much the work was growing.

They care so much about employees working for a fraction of what they could make somewhere else that they don't even pay unemployment insurance, so those they laid off were left with nothing with short notice. What a blessing indeed! The layoffs should be an eye opener for everyone.


Used Yogi

SayItIsntSo
Registered User
(2/17/06 11:20 pm)
Reply
ezSupporter

Re: working families deserve respect, and a decent wage
If they don't pay unemployement insurance it must be because of their status as a church. There are laws that require employers to pay into this fund. That must be a loop hole.

Sad to hear people lost their jobs. I used to know a few people who worked for M.C. It's been quite a few years so I've lost track. When I left SRF, I pretty much left everyone that was involved with the church. I think I wrote about it here somewhere (likely lost in the crash) and I think I wrote some of my experience on Yellow Beard's board, Cult Busters.

Now, I am pretty focused elsewhere. I check here from time to time to see if I can be of encouragement to anyone.

Spot the Looney

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