Transcript ISKCONResolve and the Justice Ministry Braja Bihari dasa Euro ELM October 5th, 2006 Seven Purposes of ISKCON • 1.

ISKCONResolve and the
Justice Ministry
Braja Bihari dasa
Euro ELM October 5th, 2006
Seven Purposes of ISKCON
• 1. To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to
society at large in order to check the imbalance of values
in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.
• 2. To propagate a consciousness of Krishna, as it is
revealed in the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.
• 3. To bring the members of the Society together with
each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity.
• 4. To teach and encourage the sankirtan movement
• 5. To erect for the members and for society at large, a
holy place of transcendental pastimes, dedicated to the
personality of Krishna.
• 6. To bring the members closer together for the purpose
of teaching a simpler and more natural way of life.
• 7. With a view towards achieving aforementioned
Purposes, to publish and distribute magazines, books
and other writings.
Summary of ISKCON’s Purposes
1. Help ISKCON devotees become more
Krishna Conscious
2. Help others take to Krishna
consciousness
Causes of Conflict
Adapted from Peace Skills, A Manual for Community Mediators
Does Conflict Resolution Have
Anything to Do With ISKCON’s
Mission?
• Leaders spend so much time on conflict.
• When devotees point out the bad qualities
of others, they acquire those qualities
themselves.
• Srila Prabhupada’s statement about
ISKCON only being checked from within
• Unhealthy conflicts makes ISKCON a
place people don’t want to be a part of.
What Causes Conflict?
Least Difficult
to Resolve
Most Difficult
to Resolve
Conflicts about Information
• Mis-information. (using grazing land,
adopted Gov’t curriculum)
• Different interpretation of data (exorbitant
rent)
• Different views on what information is
relevant
• Lack of information (one or both parties
speculate about information) or just
doesn’t know (GBC resolution)
– Organization doesn’t communicate sufficiently
with members
Conflict over Resources
• Conflicts will be over material resources:
–
–
–
–
Land
Money
Objects
manpower
• Not enough room for the Brahmacaris
• No place for the cows to graze
• Remember SKP zone wars? New Vrindavan?
Radha Damodara?
Conflict About Structures
• Organizations (like (ISKCON) often find conflicts due to
members concerns over:
– Access to power
– Access to resources
– How decisions are made
• Dual lines of authority
• Is the Gurukula under the Temple or not
• Caring for devotees Vs spreading Krishna
consciousness.
• Unclear job descriptions. Differences in paid staff and
volunteers
• SKP competition
Conflicts involving Values
• Values are formed by Guru/Sadhu/Sastra but
also by life experiences and culture.
• Challenges to a value are a threat to a person or
group’s identity.
• Most difficult to resolve.
• Reaction to this conflict is usually defensive.
• Withdrawal possible to preserve identity.
• Assumption is that resolution of conflict involves
a change in identity.
• If opportunity given to clarify values and feel
heard, people move away from defensiveness
and mutually resolve conflicts.
•
They should raise funds in their own name, since their activities are
Values continued…
• Assumption is that resolution of conflict
involves a change in identity.
• If opportunity given to clarify values and feel
heard, people move away from
defensiveness and mutually resolve
conflicts.
• “They should raise funds in their own name,
since their activities are clearly separate
from ISKCON.”
How Should ISKCON Leaders
React to Conflict
• Cool headed: know that conflict is inevitable.
“Non-Anxious Presence”
• Try to understand it’s multiple causes
• Deal with it decisively, even if the decision is to
do nothing for time being. Calmly figure out the
next step.
• Try to get others to deal with it—avoid criticism
of partiality on your part
• Recognize “Naïve Realism”
• Think of your options:…..
Recognize Naïve Realism
1. I’m a reasonable, rational, unbiased
person. I basically see objective reality.
2. Other rational people will share my views
3. If they don’t, they are either:
a. Exposed to very different information
b. Lazy or irrational
c. Ill-motivated, biased
ISKCON’s Approaches to Conflict
Avoidance
#3
Formal Decision Making
Negotiati
on
Mediation
#1
#2
TP/GBC/ISKCON
Authority decision
Arbitration
Private or Community
Decision Making
(Possibility of Enhancing
Relationships)
Community Ends
Legislation
Law Begins
Adapted from www.communityboards.org
Three ways to deal with a Problem
• Interests
• Rights
• Power
What Can You Do? The ISKCON
System….Option #1
• Option #1: Take a managerial decision.
– This is Prabhupada’s management system
– TP’s, GBCs and ultimately the GBC body have the
privilege and duty to make decisions in accord with
guru, sadhu and sastra and in the best interests of
ISKCON
– Pros: quick. Practical.
– Cons: When leaders take decisions, some won’t like
it. After enough decisions, many will have been
displeased at one time or another.
• Takes up a huge amount of leader’s time
The ISKCON System—Option #2
• #2 Arbitration/investigation/adjudication
• That CPO judges and others be trained to
deal with ISKCON conflicts and internal
complaints of improper activities
• Pros: Appropriate in some cases.
Disputants won’t accept other processes
• Cons: investigations take time, are costly,
are often inconclusive, and in reality are
far more subjective than we tend to think
The ISKCON System—Option 3
• #3. ISKCONResolve
• Pros: Can not only solve conflict but can also
improve relationships; saves time; devotees feel
heard; Leaders don’t have to get involved in all
conflicts; conflicts solved as locally as possible;
devotees become empowered to solve their own
problems; devotees keep the power with them to
decide outcome
• Cons: Not all conflicts solved this way;
sometimes issues are such that a new ISKCON
law or managerial precedent is required;
shouldn’t replace ISKCON authority structure
ISKCONResolve:
Ombudsman
Neutral—The ombudsman advocates for
fair process favoring neither for the visitor
or management
Confidential—Unless given permission by
the Visitor to reveal his identity, the
ombuds keeps all discussions confidential
Independent—The ombuds has access to
the GBC body, but s/he is not within the
regular ISKCON authority structure
Ombudsman
Appointed by Leadership to assist all
devotees
Devotees can contact an ombuds knowing
they will be confidential and neutral
Help with shuttle diplomacy. Arranging
mediations; offering option
 Helps to cut down the festering of ill
feelings
“Traffic cop” / Report trends to leadership
Ombudsman:
Sample cases
 Many times devotees threatening to take
ISKCON to Court
 A woman afraid that her previous
devotee/lover will reveal to the world the
details of an affair they had
 Questioning the productivity of an
ISKCON Ministry
 Gurukulis / temple conflict
A devotee feeling their guru keeps
initiating newcomers but gives no time to
Mediation
• Two parties voluntarily agree to work out
differences with the help of a impartial 3rd person
• The mediator facilitates disputants as they work
toward their own solution. Mediator is not a
judge. Disputants get to speak their concerns
openly but in the presence of a trained person
who directs the process
• Often takes between two and five hours to
complete. Saves lots of time.
• Can lead to improved relationships
GBC Resolution:
Whereas, The GBC body seeks to demonstrate its interest in the
concerns of ISKCON devotees, and seeks to encourage the timely
voluntary resolution of disputes within ISKCON
Whereas, the universal practice of International organizations is to
provide machinery of prompt resolution of internal disputes,
And whereas it is universally accepted that ombudsmen provide an
effective and confidential means of addressing individual concerns
with the organization.
And whereas it is universally accepted that mediation entered into
voluntarily by two disputant parties with the help of a trained
mediator is a proven procedure for resolving interpersonal disputes
to the mutual satisfaction of the disputants.
GBC Resolution:
Resolved that: The GBC announces the universal support of the
establishment of a voluntary dispute resolution system to facilitate
the resolution of members concerns.
To accomplish this end, we unanimously urge regions and local
temples to undertake the establishment of regional based ombuds
and mediation structures.
Members of the GBC pledge their support in the develop of these
structures and in being responsive to the concerns of members
brought to their attention through these processes.
A Sub-committee of Braja Bihari dasa, Madhava Pandit dasa, and
Arnold M Zack shall coordinate these efforts on behalf of the GBC
body.
Results to date:
•Great preaching potential, as ISKCON is the first
religious organization in the world to take up ADR on a
Global basis. We’ve trained the Anglican Church, and
worked with the Catholic Church in the US. Also are
training judges and lawyers in India’s High Courts.
•Done many mediations
•Over 500 ombud’s visitors
•Started arbitration system
•Conflict analysis
How can we prevent conflict
• The key is to have a “nonanxious presence”.
Listen well. Expect conflicts
• Preach strongly against unhealthy triangling by
gossip. Instead encourage direct
communications.
• Encourage devotees to look for the good in
others, and know that when they focus on the
faults, they will also acquire them.
• Teach devotees communication skills
• Have everyone chant attentively and always
remember Krishna!
For more information
• www.iskconresolve.com