Monkey on a Stick: Murder, Madness, and the Hare Krishnas

Well... if you are still in Krishna movement you should read this.As well as, a basic understanding of psychology will give you a clear vision of the movement.In the end of the day, it's your choice and you life but do not be blind by the fake "love".

I was a devotee of Krishna back in 1971, to the point of attending evening prayer (I worked across from the street from the Detroit ISKCON temple at the time) and went to everything ISKCON-related on weekends. My exposure to ISKCON lasted only a few months as I finally decided that Krishna Consciousness was not for me.After reading "Monkey On a Stick", I was really glad that I didn't join. The whole scandal and killings down at New Vrindaban (West Virginia) relly shocked me since I was never abused or treated badly in any way. Also, it creeped me out since before I took my leave of the ISKCON temple in Detroit, there was talk of my spending some time at the Temple, then going to New Vrindaban. I suspect that I would have ended up dead because I know I'd be yelling to high heaven after learning of the sexual abuse and other criminal activities.This is a great book to read--in it you can see the destructive paths that many cults end up traversing (for another scandal of this sort, google "Christ of the Hills Monastery"). From what I have heard, AC Bhakhtivedanta was a very nice, sincere man and it was after his death that everything started to fall apart.Since my short time with ISKCON was in the early 70s, reading "Monkey On a Stick" (a reference to something said by Bhakhivedanta) was definitely an eye-opener. I suppose that the story came as such a shock to me because I had found them a nice, peaceful lot, albeit a bit wacko. I certainly could not have foretold what took place in the years after I gave up on ISCON for good. I certainly didn't expect pedophilia, drug-running, or murder.I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to see how at least part of a religious group could and did go astray.

I left ISKCON in the late 60's. It took me less than a year to realize that I was inside a fundamentalist, true believer, sect and was tired of the narrow mindedness and sexist attitudes of the leadership as personified by Bhaktivedanta and his true believers. I was unaware of the power struggles behind the scenes, but unsurprised by their recounting in this book. I left before the *%$# hit the fan, so heard nothing of the insanity recounted here. The monumental ego's of some of these people is amazing and the mindless acceptance by their brain washed followers is stunning. Thuggery, bullying and strutting leaders, abusing everyone beneath them. Scraping, power hungry sycophants, willing to murder those seen as impediments to curry favor with their "guru", and cowed followers turning a blind eye and too fearful to do the right thing. It's all here. I couldn't put the book down but upon completion had the desire to take a scalding shower just to clean the residue from me. I'm so glad I left when I did!

Wonderful product!

This book is a must for any person with any interest in cults. Folks have no idea how violent, perverted, and sick these people were.