No surprise here, sunshine. There are discussions on other forums about AC Bhaktivedanta. We also consider him a leader of a destructive cult, so no surprise with these images. Followers still worship marble statues of ACB to this day.
As far as Butler's changing bio, you will have to get a hold of the Haribol Special as well as Sai Speaks to compare with his current bio. Past writings and histories are covered up or destroyed. The bio I referred to regarding shiksa and diksha, etc. can be found on any SOI website. You can also see the story spun over on the World Vaishnava Association website.
Nori Muster, the author of "Betrayal of Spirit" used to have the Haribol Special posted online. No doubt the Butler cult threatened her to take it down. You will have to contact her. But there are others who have full copies of the tract. She has a lot of great references Search the Betrayal Information Files
Fair Use Photo from the Haribol Special:
Butler Sampradaya
Butler; Self Appointed
Please notice that Butler placed himself, not in a line with other god bros, but alone, in direct succession from Chaitanya. ACB also taught his followers to promote this same myth, legend, of a perfect, unbroken lineage.
The garrulous Haribol Special spun an excruciatingly boring tale about how gurus can not be appointed, but should be "self effulgent".
The result was that a self indulgent Chris Butler, re-branded himself Jagad Guru, guru of the universe. It pissed a lot of people off. He lost followers. He changed his story. That's why you can't find copies of the Haribol Special online. You'd think a man would own his own history and biography. Not if one is being deceptive. And that is the crux of the matter.
FAIR USE FOR CRITICAL REVIEW - SAI bio 1
FAIR USE FOR CRITICAL REVIEW - SAI bio 2
Researchers: Please download these images ASAP.
As far as Butler's changing bio, you will have to get a hold of the Haribol Special as well as Sai Speaks to compare with his current bio. Past writings and histories are covered up or destroyed. The bio I referred to regarding shiksa and diksha, etc. can be found on any SOI website. You can also see the story spun over on the World Vaishnava Association website.
Nori Muster, the author of "Betrayal of Spirit" used to have the Haribol Special posted online. No doubt the Butler cult threatened her to take it down. You will have to contact her. But there are others who have full copies of the tract. She has a lot of great references Search the Betrayal Information Files
Quote
From a previous post with a few additions
Remember also that in the 1990's Tusta did a lot of leg work and diplomacy with competing gurus and co-founded The World Vaishnava Association. Butler was getting politically isolated in the guru world. He was losing followers to the more "mellow" Indian guys who came to America and also Hawaii to fill the void left by the territorial AC Bhaktivedanta Swami and his ISKCON minions. (People were also running over the the Katyayani/B.T. camp. See Shyam Dodge's book.) It's well documented on this forum, IMO, why followers left to avoid the cruelty, fines, and getting yelled at for petty infractions.
Scroll down on the right side of the WVA website to see the list of Present Day Acharya's. You will see Butler is listed. It still amuses me that he uses only youthful photos of himself when he's almost 70 years old. Naw, it couldn't be that he is vain? And why didn't he leave his wife to take sanyass . . . again, which is prescribed in Gaudiya Vaishnavism? Is he still afraid to be alone in a room with a woman?
Meh . . . Never mind.
There was some discussion on this forum years ago about the fight between Butler and another guru over one of Butler's followers.
AC Bhaktivedanta and Butler both told their followers to stay away from other Vaishnavas, that they were the only true "Jagad Gurus" while the others were envious. ACB told his followers to avoid the Gaudiya Math and his own god brothers. Butler essentially did the same. They both taught that there was only one unbroken Sampradaya or disciplic succession from Chaitanya. Now Butler goes along with the WVA position that there are many Vaisnava Acaryas.
Never mind.
In 1977 a lot of people got put off by Butler's "Haribol Special" where he appointed himself the next in line (while his guru's body was still warm in the grave). It was written by Tusta and Chris Butler in the form of a fake interview. Butler directed the whole publication and had L. do the layout - including the size and selection of his own images. I find it of interest that he had to be pictured larger than all the others. The whole publication was a huge vanity piece.
Not that he didn't have a lot to say about the ridiculous things going on at ISKCON, Butler later had to concede to other gurus just to maintain his own legitimacy. It is my view that the main reason he did this was to not expose the cultic aspects of his group and to hide under the umbrella of an established religion.
Hey, if he is truly the bleeter of absolute truth, why does he have to keep changing his bio and covering up old writings? Aren't they ever pure and eternal?
Never mind.
Fair Use Photo from the Haribol Special:
Butler Sampradaya
Butler; Self Appointed
Please notice that Butler placed himself, not in a line with other god bros, but alone, in direct succession from Chaitanya. ACB also taught his followers to promote this same myth, legend, of a perfect, unbroken lineage.
The garrulous Haribol Special spun an excruciatingly boring tale about how gurus can not be appointed, but should be "self effulgent".
The result was that a self indulgent Chris Butler, re-branded himself Jagad Guru, guru of the universe. It pissed a lot of people off. He lost followers. He changed his story. That's why you can't find copies of the Haribol Special online. You'd think a man would own his own history and biography. Not if one is being deceptive. And that is the crux of the matter.
FAIR USE FOR CRITICAL REVIEW - SAI bio 1
FAIR USE FOR CRITICAL REVIEW - SAI bio 2
Researchers: Please download these images ASAP.