Who are the Hare Krishna?

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I was listening to a podcast about the Vietnam war and they mentioned something about Hare Krishna. They played what was called a “mantra,” and didn’t think about it until someone brought up in passing the Hare Krishna to me. I instantly said the line I heard from the podcast once my friend brought them up (hopefully not channeling anything on accident!) and his got me thinking. I know they are not Christian and that they are taught by gurus, but other than that who are they? I have only heard of them a few times, once in a Beatles song and once in a reference in “That 70s Show.” Anyone on here old Hare Krishna members who could give me insight?
 
I know Krishna is a Hindu deity. That’s about the extent of my knowledge.
 
Roughly, they are a Hindu inspired ( though they would not necessarily describe themselves this way ) Religious movement that was founded in the 60s, and popularized in the west.
 
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I was a follower 30 years ago, and still have some tattoos to show for it, unfortunately.
It’s basically Hindu idol worship.

It got big in the states in the 60’s with the hippie movement as a result of a particular swami who arrived on our shores at the time from India.
Still some temples in US cities and such, with little restaurants connected (Govindas) serving food offered to idols (prasad).
You’ll see their followers handing out sweet snacks to folks, as they believe simply eating this food offered to their idols will enlighten a person.

Yeah, don’t recite that mantra. Don’t read their texts. Don’t eat their food. Stay way from all of it. It’s demonic. Bad things.
 
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Some of their people cornered me on campus one time and got five bucks out of me just to get them to stop talking
 
They got famous in US as a result of Beatle George Harrison joining them and writing songs about Krishna. I think initially they were regarded as sort of a new age Indian religion, but over the decades people started regarding them more as a corrupt cult that would take advantage of naive young people and force abused, underfed devotees to go out and beg to support wealthy lifestyles of the leaders.

For awhile, up through about the 80s, they were often seen in colorful robes begging aggressively around college campuses and in airports and bus stations. They were notorious for being a giant nuisance to the point where people would give them money to make them go away. It was particularly bothersome at the airport, where you couldn’t easily get away from them (there were also other aggressive panhandlers at the airports in those days). LAX finally banned them from the airport and the Krishna organization sued and it went all the way to the Supreme Court and became a landmark case that was taught in law schools. The Krishnas lost and after that you didn’t see them in airports any more. Around the same time (80s, early 90s ) there were some pretty big criminal cases in US involving Krishna leaders who allegedly were abusing their followers with beatings, sexual abuse and psychological abuse and basically running a cult, and when one former leader threatened to expose them, he was murdered. So between the airport ban and the murder case, the group kind of faded away.

The last time I saw any Krishnas around in US was about 1990. They are probably still around somewhere but nothing like they used to be. People who might have joined them in the past are now more likely to join the Buddhists or some new age or evangelical group IMHO.
 
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I think I told this story before but when husband and I were house hunting before marriage, we were given a list of properties, and we drove around looking at each to see if it had enough curb appeal and neighborhood appeal for us to ask our agent for a showing. After driving past about a half dozen houses, we proceeded to the last house on the list and found it fully occupied by Krishnas in their robes and colorful pants, all having some sort of veggie meal and musical recreation on the big front porch. We both burst out laughing at the sight and the thought of us having to evict a passel of Krishnas who most likely had not been keeping up the property. Needless to say we didn’t tour or buy that house. For years my husband could make me laugh by imitating a Krishna playing those little hand cymbals.
 
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Do they still exist? I remember eating their food about 1977. I admired their commitment but a little too wierd for me.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
For awhile, up through about the 80s, they were often seen in colorful robes begging aggressively around college campuses and in airports and bus stations. They were notorious for being a giant nuisance to the point where people would give them money to make them go away. It was particularly bothersome at the airport, where you couldn’t easily get away from them (there were also other aggressive panhandlers at the airports in those days). LAX finally banned them from the airport and the Krishna organization sued and it went all the way to the Supreme Court and became a landmark case that was taught in law schools. The Krishnas lost and after that you didn’t see them in airports any more. Around the same time (80s, early 90s ) there were some pretty big criminal cases in US involving Krishna leaders who allegedly were abusing their followers with beatings, sexual abuse and psychological abuse and basically running a cult, and when one former leader threatened to expose them, he was murdered. So between the airport ban and the murder case, the group kind of faded away.
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I can’t find a gif of it, but remember in Airplane when the pilot gets to the airport and punches his way through the Hare Krishnas?
 
Yeah, there is one on the plane, though he’s not annoying (and may not have been a Hare Krishna). He gets so bored at the protagonist’s story that he douses himself in gasoline and burns himself up.
 
I just found the fight scene you mentioned on Youtube. The pilot actually punches his way through a whole bunch of religious recruiters (plus a Jerry’s Kids rep), which is funny because like I said there were more groups than the Hare Krishnas pestering people at the airport in those days. Hare Krishnas, the Moonies, deaf people handing out those little cards, various other religions trying to get you to join etc. I remember flying through LAX once and while I was sitting waiting for a connecting flight, at least three different groups came up to me and were bugging on me for donations. It’s so much more peaceful at airports now that 9/11 excludes everybody who doesn’t have a boarding pass from going into the gate area.

 
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amaxiner said:
who are they?
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They are a hinduist inspired sect, composed mostly by Westerners that end up changing their names, and are present in many Western countries. They wrap their twisted ideology in this silly peace and love vibe, attracting, unfortunately, many in this process.
I’ll avoid a deep explanation of their beliefs, but basically they believe that the supreme form of God is/was Krishna, this view is a distortion from the “usual” hinduism. They also claim, in a hippie spirit, that all religions are good and they even stand by some Christian and Muslim views and beliefs.
They might seem open and friendly at first sight, that’s their trick, but they’re quite repressive against their followers.

As Nigel7 said:
Nigel7 said:
It’s basically Hindu idol worship.
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You know the Golden Calf?
Same principle here.

And again, as Nigel7 said:
Nigel7 said:
Yeah, don’t recite that mantra. Don’t read their texts. Don’t eat their food. Stay way from all of it. It’s demonic. Bad things.
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It’s complex because I think that people who would otherwise continue to be a part of this movement have sort of joined other westernized Hindu-like movements, or joined more traditional Hinduism. My guess is the movement itself has sort of become more mainstream and pedestrian.

Also, to the extent that they incorporated practices from Hinduism, some of these practices have become more common place in the west, so nobody sees this as being particularly standing out as HareKrishna. Examples would include Indian fusion vegetarian food, kirtan, Holi festival, yoga, etc. These aren’t unique to the Hare Krishna movement, but did make them stand out in the past because no one had seen this previously in the west. They may have a had a role in popularizing general Hindu and more broadly Indian cultural elements.
 
I used to see them a lot in downtown Atlanta during the 80s. People told me they were still running around down there even in the 2000s. They had shaved heads white cotton haram pants, clanging on symbols and drums chanting something. Doing this drives away they devil I was told. Now who they think the devil is, and so on.
 
FWIW Hindus don’t Worship idols in the golden calf sense.

Can’t say for certain but I’m not sure the Hare Krishnas do either, at least from what I’ve read anyway. I suppose some might?
 
They primarily follow the Bhagavad Gita as their scripture. They have their own translation that they use, called ‘Bhagavad Gita As It Is’. I have a copy of it and I have thoroughly enjoyed it; the commentary is especially good. I don’t believe that it’s the word of God, but there is a lot of wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita. 😃
 
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First of all, what does FWIW means?
Second thing, maybe not in the Egyptian style probably used by the Hebrews during Exodus, but Hinduism is highly idolater, with faithful pouring milk over them, nurturing them, and doing all sorts of things for these tiny representations of demons. The Hare Krishnas do this too, for they sell clothes, thrones, necklaces and all sorts of things for their idols.
 
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