International Society for Krishna Consciousness

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International Society for Krishna Consciousness
ISKCON Temple in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, India
Abbreviation	ISKCON
Formation	13 July 1966 (58 years ago) (1966-07-13) India
Founder	A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Type	Religious organisation
Legal status	Foundation
Headquarters	Mayapur, West Bengal, India
Location	850 temples and centres
Coordinates	23°16′N 88°14′E / 23.26°N 88.23°E / 23.26; 88.23
Area served	Worldwide
Leader	Srila Prabhupada
Main organ	Governing Body Commission
Affiliations	Gaudiya Vaishnavism
Website	iskcon.org

Vaishnavism
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Supreme deity Vishnu / Krishna / Rama
Important deities Dashavatara Matsya Kurma Varaha Narasimha Vamana Parasurama Rama Balarama Krishna Buddha Kalki Other forms Dhanvantari Guruvayurappan Hayagriva Jagannath Mohini Nara-Narayana Prithu Shrinathji Venkateshvara Vithoba Consorts Lakshmi Bhumi Sita Radha Rukmini Alamelu Related Garuda Hanuman Shesha Shasta
Holy scriptures Vedas Upanishads Vaikhanasa Pancharatra Bhagavad Gita Mahabharata Ramayana Harivamsa Divya Prabandha Gita Govinda Puranas Vishnu Bhagavata Naradiya Garuda Padma Agni
Sampradayas Sri (Vishishtadvaita, Akshar Purushottam Darshan) Rudra (Śuddhādvaita) Kumara (Dvaitadvaita) Brahma (Tattvavada or (Dvaita)), Acintyabhedabheda) Others Ekasarana Dharma Mahanubhava Pranami Radha Vallabha Ramsnehi Sant Mat Vaishnava-Sahajiya Warkari
Teachers—acharyas Chaitanya Chakradhara Dadu Dayal Harivansh Jayatirtha Jiva Goswami Jñāneśvara Kabir Madhavdev Madhvacharya Manavala Mamunigal Namadeva Nammalvar Nathamuni Nimbarka Srinivasacharya Padmanabha Tirtha Pillai Lokacharya Purandara Dasa Raghuttama Tirtha Raghavendra Tirtha Ram Charan Ramananda Ramanuja Ravidas Satyanatha Tirtha Satyabhinava Tirtha Satyabodha Tirtha Satyadharma Tirtha Satyadhyana Tirtha Samarth Ramdas Sankardev Swaminarayan Sripadaraja Tukaram Tulsidas Vallabha Vedanta Desika Vidyapati Vishnuswami Viṭṭhalanātha Vyasatirtha Vadiraja Tirtha Yamunacharya
Related traditions Bhagavatism Vaikhanasas Pancharatra Tenkalai Vadakalai Munitraya Krishnaism Jagannathism Haridasa Sahajiya Baul Pushtimarg Gaudiya ISKCON Ramanandi Kapadi Balmiki Kabir panth Dadu panth Mahanam
v t e

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organisation. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Its core beliefs are based on the Hindu scriptures, particularly the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, which has had adherents in India since the late 15th century and American and European devotees since the early 1900s.

The organization was formed to spread the practice of Bhakti Yoga, the practice of love of God. Its most rapid expansion in membership as of 2007 have been within India and in Russia, Ukraine, and other ex-Soviet aligned states of Eastern Europe.

The arrival of Indian immigrants to the UK and growth of devotees of Indian origin within the movement has dramatically shifted the perception of the "Hare Krishnas" as a Hindu-appropriating cult status, and is now regarded as a bonafide faith denomination based in ancient scripture and popular amongst a diverse racial and ethnic diaspora.

History and belief

Further information: Achintya Bheda Abheda and Gaudiya Vaishnavism

ISKCON devotees follow a disciplic line of Gaudiya Bhagavata Vaishnavas and are the largest branch of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Vaishnavism means 'worship of Vishnu', and Gauḍa refers to the area where this particular branch of Vaishnavism originated, in the Gauda region of West Bengal. Gaudiya Vaishnavism has had a following in India, especially West Bengal and Odisha, for the past five hundred years. Gaudiya Vaishnavism was founded by the saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who rapidly spread his form of ecstatic bhakti (devotion) throughout Bengal. He established Sankirtan, the practice of publicly expressing devotion to Lord Krishna, the Supreme God, through dance and song. This form of communal worship responded to rigid caste structures by engaging all people in worship regardless of caste and creed. Chaitanya emphasized chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra (the 'great mantra'). He is considered by Gaudiya Vaishnavas to be an incarnation of Krishna himself.

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada brought Chaitanya's Gaudiya Vaishnavism to the West in 1965. At 69 years old, he landed in New York without any money. Instead of preaching to New York's elite, he tapped into the 1960s countercultural spirit by preaching and chanting in public parks and attracting hippies and the youth. His movement, then known as the "Hare Krishna Movement", grew even larger when he relocated to San Francisco a year later. When it spread to England, it gained publicity and financial backing from the Beatle George Harrison. He recorded several tracks with the Hare Krishnas and included the Mahamantra in his hit track "My Sweet Lord". The first Hare Krishna commune, New Vrindavan (West Virginia), was established by Prabhupada in 1968. Since then, ISKCON has established more than 600 centers all over the world and has millions of followers.

Key to the spread of Gaudiya Vaishnava theology in the Western world was Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's extensive writings and translations, including the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana), Chaitanya Charitamrita, and other scriptures. These works are now available in more than seventy languages and serve as the scriptures of ISKCON.

ISKCON describes Krishna as the source of all the avatars of God. Thus ISKCON devotees worship Krishna as the highest form of God, svayam bhagavan, and often refer to him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in writing, which was a phrase coined by Prabhupada in his books on the subject. To devotees, Radha represents Krishna's divine female counterpart, the original spiritual potency, and the embodiment of divine love. The individual soul is an eternal personal identity which does not ultimately merge into a non-dual consciousness (Brahman) as believed by the monistic (Advaita) schools of Hinduism. Prabhupada most frequently offers Sanatana-dharma and Varnashrama dharma as more accurate names for the religious system which accepts Vedic authority. It is a monotheistic tradition which has its roots in the theistic Vedanta traditions.

Practices

The most famous and publicly recognizable ISKCON practice is kirtan, or sankirtan, a congregational chanting or singing of the Hare Krishna mantra. It's both a way to express devotion to God and a way to attract newcomers to the movement. Devotees gather in public, in streets and parks, to sing the mantra accompanied by instruments like the mridanga, hand cymbals, and the harmonium. During the 1970s ISKCON entered the public eye because of this practice. Devotees would sing, distribute books, and proselytize in airports and other public areas, often obtrusively. Sankirtan continues throughout the world today, but in a less confrontational manner.

Other important religious practice within ISKCON and Gaudiya Vaishnavism is japa, or the meditative practice of repeatedly chanting the names of Krishna on a rosary. It's considered the only way for salvation for people in the current age. Prabhupada established a standard for initiated devotees to chant sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna a day. Each round requires chanting the mahamantra 108 times on prayer beads, with sixteen rounds being 1728 repetitions and taking around two hours.

Another important practice in ISKCON is arati (also called puja). In arati, devotees offer water, incense, a fire lamp, and flowers to a murti, a sacred statue or image of Krishna. This is accompanied by prayers and devotional songs called bhajans. Practitioners may perform aarti at their own home or congregate at a temple to join in the ceremony. Along with this worship, devotees will bathe the murti, dress it, offer it food, and even put it to sleep. By doing arati and serving the murti, devotees aim to deepen their relationship with Krishna.

During initiation (diksha) ISKCON devotees vow to follow four basic rules and regulations, They vow to follow lacto-vegetarian diet; not to consume any intoxicants (alcohol, cigarettes or drugs); not to gamble and not to engage in 'illicit sex'.

ISKCON devotees meet regularly (typically on Sunday at a program known as the Sunday Feast) to worship deities, listen to discourses by senior devotees, participate in kirtan and eat sanctified offered food.

Festivals

Besides weekly gatherings, devotees within the ISKCON movement celebrate a diverse array of Hindu festivals, including Janmashtami, Radhashtami, Diwali, Ekadasi, Holi, Ram-Navami and Gita-Jayanti.

The Ratha Yatra Festival of Chariots is an annual parade whereby devotees chant and dance on the street, pulling a chariot with the deities of Lord Jagannatha, Baladeva, and Subhadra behind them. This public procession is typically followed by performances and free vegetarian food.

Preaching

ISKCON advocates preaching. Members try to spread Krishna consciousness primarily by singing the Hare Krishna mantra in public places and by selling books written by the founder.

A study conducted by E. Burke Rochford Jr. at the University of California found that there are four types of contact between those in ISKCON and prospective members. Those are individually motivated contact, contact made with members in public areas, contact made through personal connections, and contact with sympathizers of the movement who strongly encourage people to join.

According to the doctrine of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, one does not need to be born in a Hindu family to take up the practice. There are ISKCON communities around the world with schools, restaurants, and farms.

Centres worldwide

File:A Russian Hindu girl.jpg

A Russian Hare Krishna girl

India

India has the highest density of ISKCON centres in the world, with over 150 temples, 12 state-recognized educational institutions, 25 affiliated and non-affiliated restaurants, and a number of tourist and pilgrimage hotels. It is also home to Govardhan Eco-Village, an ayurvedic treatment and retreat centre near Mumbai. ISKCON India has been known to espouse more traditional orthodox Vedic values than its Western counterparts.

Shri Mayapur Chandroya Mandir Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, Mayapur

Set to be completed in 2022, the Sri Mayapur Chandroya Mandir in West Bengal is built in the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the founder of the Gaudiya-Vaishnava lineage of Hinduism. The temple itself currently sits at 425 000 square feet and is 340 feet tall, and is surrounded by accompanying lodges, shops, residences, educational centres, and gardens. The project cost an estimated $75 million, with its’ major investor being Alfred B. Ford, the great-grandson of Henry Ford. The complex ‘s main attraction is a planetarium based on Vedic cosmology as well as exhibitions about the Vedic arts, sciences and culture as described in the Srimad Bhagvatam. After completion, the temple will be the biggest in the world, second to Angkor Wat in Thailand.

Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir, Vrindavan

Located in the Raman Reti area of Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, the temple was built in the original village where the spiritual figures Krishna and Balarama are said to have resided in the Vedic period of Indian history. It is built in close proximity to other holy sites such as the village of Gokul, Govardhana Hill, the Mathura palace, and various holy lakes. As a result, ISKCON Vrindavan is a common pilgrimage site for followers of the Krishna Conscious movement. The complex is home to a guesthouse, a museum, gift shops, a restaurant, a bakery, a broadcast studio as well as a marble temple hall. The temple is also affiliated with the Vrindavan Institute of Higher Education.

Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir, Bangalore

Overseen by ISKCON Bangalore, the VCM is currently under construction and slated to be the tallest religious monument in the world, featuring a helipad, theme park, museum, accommodation, wooded and park area and temple.

Sri Sri Parthasarathi Mandir, New Delhi

The temple complex houses the Glory of India Vedic Cultural Centre which is a set of interactive educational exhibits, as well as the world’s largest printed religious book, known as the “Astounding Bhagavad Gita”.

Europe

There are over 135 ISKCON-affiliated temples and cultural centres in Europe. The ISKCON movement in Europe is home to a number of rural and farming communities, including Nueva Vrajamandala in Spain, La Nouvelle Mayapura in France and Villa Vrindavan in Italy.

Radhadesh, Belgium

The Radhadesh temple in Durbuy, Belgium is home to Bhaktivedanta College, which opened in 2002 to provide ministerial and spiritual education for students, offering degrees and certificates online and on campus in Vaishnava theology externally validated by the University of Chester.

The Radhadesh temple is also home to Radhadesh Mellows, an annual kirtan retreat.

Bhaktivedanta Manor, Watford

A landscaped property featuring gardens, lakes, a school, farm, numerous temple and housing buildings, accommodations and a bakery, the property for Bhaktivedanta Manor was donated by George Harrison of the Beatles and is on the National Heritage List for England. The houses on the property, including the temple, are built in the mock-Tudor mansion style of the 1800s.

Bhaktivedanta Manor is also home to the London College of Vedic Studies, and is the birthplace of the Avanti Schools Trust, a sponsor of state-funded primary and secondary schools that provides both non-denominational and Hindu-faith education throughout the UK.

Demographically, devotees in Europe are majority ethnic Europeans. An exception can be made with the demographics of devotees in the United Kingdom, which caters to the Indian immigrant population, mirroring the demographics of most North American centres.

North and South America

There are 56 formally affiliated ISKCON centres in the USA. Notable centres include New Raman Reti in Alachua, FL and The Radha Kalachandji Temple in Dallas, TX. Hare Krishna-affiliated full-time communities include New Vrindaban in West Virginia, and Gita Nagari Eco Farm and Sanctuary in Pennsylvania. There are various other centres in the United States that promote Krishna Conscious culture without being formally affiliated with ISKCON, including The Bhakti Center in New York City. The ISKCON Dallas temple is affiliated with the nearby TKG Academy, which provides private school academic education with additional Vedic-based courses.

There are 12 ISKCON centres in Canada, including the self-sustaining Saranagati Eco Village in BC. There are 5 formally affiliated ISKCON centres in Mexico.

There are 60 affiliated ISKCON temples in South America, with most congregations located in Argentina and Brazil. There are also a number of devotee-run farming communities throughout Latin America.

Asia, Africa and Australasia

Asia is home to over 80 ISKCON affiliated centres, with most being located in Indonesia and Malaysia. There are 31 additional centres in Russia, as Vaishnava Hinduism represents one of the largest denominations of faith in the country.

There are 69 affiliated ISKCON centres in Africa, four of which are rural farming communities and three of which are educational centres. ISKCON Durban hosts the world's largest Ratha Yatra Chariot Festival outside of India.

There are six ISKCON centres including one farming village in Australia and four temple centres in New Zealand. The Hare Krishna Temple in Christchurch, New Zealand, distributed free meals to mourners and the local Muslim community after a mosque shooting in March 2019.

Kirtan and music influence

The practice of mantra meditation, also known as kirtan, is prominent in the ISKCON movement. Dedicated kirtan festivals are held annually around the world, such as the Sadhu Sanga Retreat in Boone, North Carolina, Kirtan 50 in Dallas, Texas, and Radhadesh Mellows, in Durbuy, Belgium. Notable kirtaneers include Jahnavi Harrison, Gaura Vani, and the Mayapuris, who have all released kirtan albums. Kirtan sessions are also held outside of temple settings, including at local university “Bhakti Clubs”, mantra lounges, and at yoga and wellness festivals.

Full theatrical performances have been produced based on the Vedic mythologies. Prominent performance companies include Viva Kultura and Vande Arts.

Vegetarianism

With respect to AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's focus on food distribution, many ISKCON devotees have opened vegan and vegetarian eateries based on the Vedic non-violent eating principles. These include the informal “Govindas’” food chain, Doughnut Plant, Divya’s Kitchen NYC and OmNom Enlightened Eating.

Not all restaurants opened by ISKCON members are officially affiliated with ISKCON, although many Govindas’ restaurants or catering businesses operate out of the main temple center.

Charitable projects

Cow Protection and ISCOWP

ISCOWP (International Society for Cow Protection) was designed to “present alternatives to agricultural and dietary practices that support and depend upon the meat and dairy industries’ slaughter of innocent animals, specifically the cow”. Their philosophy of “compassionate cow protection” stems from the Hindu Vedic value of ahimsa, or non-violence, and the deity Krishna's affection for cows and butter. ISCOWP believes that “the tenets of cow protection are universal and non-sectarian, available to all regardless of race, creed, or nationality”.

ISKCON has a number of cow protection farms and centres known as “goshalas” around the world in farming communities and temples. In 2018, Gita Nagari Eco Farm and Sanctuary was the only USDA-Certified slaughter-free dairy production facility in the United States.

ISKCON Tribal Care Trust

ISKCON Tribal Care Trust (ITCT) is an ISKCON affiliate which aims at providing socio-economic development to the tribal people. The trust has set up schools and potable water sources for the tribal peopleThey also distribute blankets and study materials to the tribal communities.

Food For Life Global

Main articles: Hare Krishna Food for Life and ISKCON Food Relief Foundation

Managed by ISKCON devotees but ultimately unaffiliated with the ISKCON movement, Food For Life Global is a not-for-profit vegan food relief organization with 211 international affiliates. The organization predicts Food for Life volunteers distribute 2,000,000 free meals daily through outreach to the homeless, school lunch programs, orphanages and for victims of natural disasters. Notable missions include food distribution during the Chechen Wars and during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

There is internal debate as to whether food distribution efforts should be required to include religious preaching, prayer or book distribution, but as of 2020 this is not mandated by the organization. However, food distributed in these missions, as per customs of the ISKCON movement, is often offered to temple deities prior to distribution.

Management structure

Bhaktivedanta Swami spent much of the last decade of his life setting up the institution of ISKCON.

The Governing Body Commission (or GBC) was created by him in 1970. In a document Direction of Management written on 28 July 1970 Prabhupada appointed twelve members to the commission, all of them non-sannyasi, including Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, Hansadutta Swami, and Tamala Krishna Goswami. The letter outlined the purposes of the commission: improving the standard of temple management, the spread of Krishna consciousness, the distribution of books and literature, the opening of new centers and the education of the devotees. GBC has since grown in size to include 48 senior members from the movement who make decisions based on consensus of opinion.

Succession of teachings

Main article: ISKCON guru system

ISKCON's founder A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada claimed to belong to the traditional system of paramparā, or disciplic succession, in which teachings upheld by scriptures are handed down from master to disciple, generation after generation.

Specialty programming

Youth Ministry

Most ISKCON temples offer Sunday School services for children of devotees during the weekly program. The curriculum of these classes may vary by location.

ISKCON Pandava Sena

Based out of Bhaktivedanta Manor of Watford UK, ISKCON Pandava Sena is a youth organization that aims to “connect like-minded souls to the timeless philosophy of the Vedas”. The organization started in 1994 and is now composed of a variety of professionals and university students that host annual international mentorship and reunion retreats and weekly social gatherings.

Pandava Sena has also established “KCSocs” or “Krishna Conscious Societies” across 30 universities in the UK, bringing spirituality-based programming to students and working professionals. Many universities have similar student groups featuring youth from local ISKCON temples congregating for yoga, vegan food, or mantra meditation based on the KCSoc model.

The Sanga Initiative is a similar organization that is based in the United States and hosts an annual youth retreat and camping trip for ISKCON children called Camp Ignite.

Youth Bus Tour

Also known as the Krishna Culture Festival Tours, these tours occur multiple times a year and invite students and young professionals in the bhakti tradition to take cultural performances and services to various locations, including Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Mexico, Australia, China, Scandinavia, and Canada. There are various age groups available for tour participation.

ISKCON Vaishnavi Ministry

Women's roles are a controversial issue within ISKCON, and its members have strongly divergent opinions regarding the interpretation of Srila Prabhupada's teachings on gender roles. While some of its leaders advocate that women should take public leadership roles, other leaders disagree, and maintain that "traditional" roles for women are more appropriate. They fear an undesirable influence of secular feminism within ISKCON.

According to the essay "Women in ISKCON in Prabhupada's times" written by Jyotirmayi Devi Dasi, women are renowned within ISKCON and regarded as completely equal in regards to spirituality. Prabhupada in his original writings encouraged the complete equality of women in the eye of Krishna based on the teachings of Bhagavad Gita that soul does not have any gender and everybody is eligible for spiritual liberation.

Since mother is the most respected position in Vedic culture, women within the Hare Krishna community are all viewed as mothers, especially by celibate male members brahmacharis. "Mother is a term of respect for women in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), and is often prefixed to the Sanskrit name they receive in initiation. Even unmarried women are referred to as mothers".

After years of discussion and reforms, a general consensus emerged to accept women as leaders and initiators in ISKCON. In 1998 Malati Devi Dasi became the first woman appointed to the GBC. The second woman leader, Dina Sharana, was selected in 2009.

An updated document was released by the GBC in 2019 stating that it was permissible for women to become initiating gurus within the ISKCON movement.

The mission statement of the ISKCON Vaishnavi Ministry is as follows: “To promote a culture of open-hearted empowerment for Vaishnavis through association, education, representation, support, and service.” The Ministry was developed to account for the growing interest of female devotees to partake in temple practices and ensure representation in decision making.

ISKCON Child Protection Office

A suit for $900 million was filed in Texas State Court by alleged victims of abuse in the temples' schools in the 1970s and 1980s. ISKCON had to later file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Known as the Turley Case, the eventual 2008 settlement was $15 million.

In 1998, ISKCON published an exposé of widespread physical, emotional and sexual abuse of children in the group's boarding schools in the United States and India. The Hare Krishna monks and young devotees caring for the children had no training in the task and often resented having to perform it, the report said. At a meeting in 1996, former Krishna pupils testified that they had been regularly beaten at school, denied medical care, and sexually molested and raped.

The ISKCON Central Office of Child Protection was established by the GBC in 1997, and in 2005, released its first official Child Protection Policy and Procedure Guidelines. The CPO has provided Child Protection Information Training to over 500 child care providers within the organization internationally and continues to file and review reports on local Child Protection Teams. The Child Protection Policy and Procedure Guidelines was revised and ratified by the GBC in June 2018.

Significant Organizations

The Grihastha Vision Team provides premaritial, parenting and family counselling services to members of any Vaishnava community. The team is made up of volunteers who are mental health and/or educational professionals outside of the religious community.
The Bhaktivedanta Medical Associations’ mission is to ”connect and inspire all devotees within the medical profession; to improve our practice of Krishna consciousness; to assist one another to improve our service to Srila Prabhupada: and the expand Krishna consciousness among medical professionals.” Based in the US, the BMA hosts an annual medical conference for physicians and medical students with accredited North American hospitals and medical schools. Areas of interest include ayurvedic and natural health, mental health, physician burnout, meditation research, and dietary research.
Started in 2002, ISKCON Resolve is a “neutral, confidential and informal” conflict-resolution service for ISKCON congregation members and leaders. Services provided include ombudsman services, conflict mediation services, and self-help tools.
The ISKCON Domestic Abuse Coalition's mission is "to raise awareness of within ISKCON and provide valuable resources for victims, leadership and the community at large." The group formed in 2019 to release a statement denouncing all forms of domestic violence and mistreatment of women within the ISKCON movement.

Controversies

ISKCON has experienced a number of significant internal problems, the majority of which occurred from the late seventies onwards, and especially within the decade following Prabhupada's death. ISKCON has also been scrutinised by some anti-cult movements.

In a landmark 1976 case, People vs. Murphy, the Supreme Court of New York found that "'the Hare Krishna religion is a bona fide religion with roots in India that go back thousands of years." Although the parents of two Hare Krishna members claimed ISKCON had brainwashed their children, the court found they had not and that their children had freely followed the tenets of their chosen faith.
A brainwashing lawsuit filed by an Orange County mother and daughter, Robin George, in 1977 led to numerous appeals reaching the Supreme Court. In a long-awaited ruling on religious liberty, the state appeals court dismissed a claim that the Hare Krishna sect brainwashed a 15-year-old girl. In addition to the brainwashing claim, the 4th District Court of Appeal dismissed claims that they intentionally caused Robin George emotional distress and libeled her.
In 2016, Swaroopanand Saraswati accused ISKCON of money laundering. He claimed that ISKCON institutions are being used to send money donated by Indians from India to foreign countries like the US. He also said that ISKCON's aim was not religion and spirituality but something else. He said that if ISKCON is trying to propagate religion, it should have built temples in Assam and Chhattisgarh where there were fewer numbers of temples.
Kirtanananda Swami, or Swami Bhaktipada, a leader of ISKCON, was expelled from the organisation in 1987 for various deviations; he pleaded guilty before his 1996 retrial to one count of racketeering and after serving 8 years of a 20-year prison sentence was subsequently released in 2004. Previously in 1991 the jury found him not guilty on charges of conspiracy to commit the murders-for-hire of two devotees, but found him guilty of racketeering and mail fraud. These convictions were later overturned on appeal, only to result in the later retrial. Kirtanananda is no longer considered a bonafide ISKCON initiating guru by the movement. The case placed a spotlight on New Vrindaban, which by then had nearly 500 members, making it the largest and most famous Hare Krishna community in the United States at that time.

ISKCON is banned in Singapore. It has also been called for banning in Bangladesh by the Hefazat-e-Islam organisation.

Persecution

From 1971-1989, ISKCON devotees were jailed and beaten for performing their faith in public by the KGB. Details of the struggle of devotees to maintain their religious practices amidst Soviet policies have been fictionalized in the play "A Taste of Salted Bread".
In 2006, a bomb blast occurred in the Iskcon Imphal in Manipur. In the bomb blast 5 devotees died and a further 50 were injured.
In 2007, the Kazakhstan government authorities demolished 25 homes belonging to the ISKCON members in Sri Vrindavan Dham commune in Almaty, on the grounds that they were illegal constructions.
In 2009, an orphanage run by the ISKCON Chittagong (Sri Sri Radha Madhava Mandir) in Bangladesh was attacked by unknown men. The gang vandalised furniture and a statue in the orphanage and beat the devotees. They also tried to take control of the temple and the orphanage.
In 2015, the ISKCON Dinajpur in Bangladesh was attacked by Jama'atul Mujahideen of Bangladesh terrorists.The terrorists opened fire and at least two people were injured in the attack.
In 2016, the Iskcon Sylhet in Bangladesh was attacked by Muslims and at least ten people were injured in that attack.
In 2018, the gate of the ISKCON Temple in Curitiba, Brazil was targeted by unknown perpetrators. The painting of Krishna with his mother Yashoda was defaced.
In 2018, Rath yatra organised by ISKCON Dhaka in Bangladesh was attacked by a group of people, leaving six devotees injured.
In 2020, the banned terrorist organisation Ansar al-Islam planned an attack on the ISKCON Dhaka but police arrested them.

In popular culture

Main article: Hare Krishna in popular culture

The Hare Krishna mantra appears in some famous songs, such as former Beatle George Harrison's 1970 hit "My Sweet Lord". John Lennon included the phrase "Hare Krishna" in his lyrics to "Give Peace a Chance" and the Beatles's 1967 track "I Am the Walrus", as did Ringo Starr in his 1971 hit "It Don't Come Easy", written with the help of Harrison. Of the four Beatles, only Harrison fully embraced Krishna Consciousness; he also provided financial support for ISKCON's UK branch, Bhaktivedanta Manor, and enjoyed a warm friendship with Swami Prabhupada, who provided the inspiration for Harrison songs such as "Living in the Material World".

Other influencers with roots in ISKCON include:

References

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^ "Rites and Ceremonies". www.patheos.com. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
Hüsken, Ute, and Christiane Brosius, eds. Ritual matters: dynamic dimensions in practice. Routledge, 2010.
^ Bryant, Edwin Francis. Ekstrand, Maria. (2004). The Hare Krishna movement the postcharismatic fate of a religious transplant. Columbia University Press. OCLC 748865897.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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ISKON LAWBOOK, Section 4.3, International Society For Krishna Consciousness, http://krishna.ie/images/docs/2009-10-19-IskconLawBook.pdf, Publication October 19, 2009
Krishna Consciousness in the West – David G. Bromley, Prof. Larry D. Shinn, 1989, Page 149
Rochford, E Burke, Jr.Recruitment Strategies, Ideology, and Organization in the Hare Krishna Movement Social Problems Vol.29, No 4 1982
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New York Times, December 12, 1995 Archived June 16, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
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^ Das Goswami, S. (1982). Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta, Vol 4: In Every Town and Village, Around the World, 1968–1971. Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. ISBN 978-0892131150. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Knot, Kim "Insider and Outsider Perceptions of Prabhupada" in ISKCON Communications Journal Vol. 5, No 1, June 1997: "In an evaluation of the nature of the guru, Larry Shinn, a scholar of religions, utilised Max Weber's analysis of charisma in order to understand Prabhupada and the issue of leadership in ISKCON. He noted that 'Prabhupada profited from two intertwined sources of authority' (1987:40), the traditional authority of the disciplic lineage, parampara, inherited from his own guru, and his own charismatic authority, derived from his spiritual attainment and presence ... (49) Shinn offered an analysis based on sociological rather than spiritual (Vaishnava) authority in order to make sense of the role of guru in ISKCON and the unique qualities of Prabhupada." See also Larry D. Shinn (1987), The Dark Lord: Cult Images and the Hare Krishnas in America. Philadelphia: The Westview Press.available online
Cole & Dwyer 2007, pp. 181–183, 30: "Out of some of his most committed disciples, Srila Prabhupada created ISKCON's international Governing Body Commission (GBC)"
Maria Ekstrand; Bryant, Edwin H. (2004). The Hare Krishna movement: the postcharismatic fate of a religious transplant. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 205. ISBN 0-231-12256-X.A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Letter of 28 July 1970. "As we have increased our volume of activities, now I think a Governing Body Commission (hereinafter referred to as the G.B.C.) should be established. I am getting old, 75 years old, therefore at any time I may be out of the scene, therefore I think it is necessary to give instruction to my disciples how they shall manage the whole institution. They are already managing individual centers represented by one president, one secretary and one treasurer, and in my opinion they are doing nice. But we want still more improvement in the standard of Temple management, propaganda for Krishna consciousness, distribution of books and literatures, opening of new centers and educating devotees to the right standard."
"About". ISKCON Pandava Sena. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
"The Sanga Initiative". The Sanga Initiative. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
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Rochford Jr., E. Burke. Hare Krishna Transformed. New York University Press.
Dasa Goswami, Hridayananda. "Role of Women".
Swami, Bhakti Vikasa. "Feminist Rhetoric on Dandavats".
"Women in ISKCON in Prabhupada's Times by Jyotirmayi Devi Dasi Reposted November 29, 2002".
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Palmer, Susan (1994). Moon Sisters, Krishna Mothers, Rajneesh Lovers: Women's Role in New Religions. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press. pp. 15, 17. ISBN 978-0-8156-0297-2.
Rochford (2007) p. 148 NYU Press
"Women in ISKCON Archived 29 June 2013 at archive.today" by Visakha Dasi and Sudharma Dasi
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"BBC News - AMERICAS - Krishnas to file for bankruptcy". bbc.co.uk.
^ Goodstein, Laurie (9 October 1998). "Hare Krishna Movement Details Past Abuse at Its Boarding Schools". The New York Times.
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"ISKCON Child Protection Office". childprotectionoffice.org. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
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iskconhouston.org https://iskconhouston.org/events/bmahouston2020/. Retrieved 4 January 2020. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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Knott, K. (2000). "In Every Town and Village: Adaptive Strategies in the Communication of Krishna Consciousness in the UK, the First Thirty Years". Social Compass. 47 (2): 153. doi:10.1177/003776800047002002. {{cite journal}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Larry Shinn. "The Maturation of the Hare Krishnas in America". Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2008. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
"People vs. Murphy". The Leagle. 16 March 1977.
"Judge Rejects Charges of Brainwashing against Hare Krishna Leaders". New York Times. 18 March 1977.
"Krishnas Did Not Brainwash Girl, Court Rules". Los Angeles Times. 31 August 1989. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017.
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Fox, Margalit (24 October 2011). "Swami Bhaktipada, Ex-Hare Krishna Leader, Dies at 74" – via NYTimes.com.
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https://m.timesofindia.com/india/Five-killed-in-Manipur-temple-blast/articleshow/1898888.cms
https://m.telegraphindia.com/states/north-east/iskcon-temple-blast-case-cracked/cid/743106
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https://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-clash-between-hindus-muslims-at-iskcon-temple-in-bangaldesh-10-injured-2251553
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Graham M. Schweig, "Krishna: The Intimate Deity", in Bryant and Ekstrand, p. 14.
Lavezzoli 2006, p. 186
Cole & Dwyer 2007, pp. 31–32
Greene 2006, pp. 148, 198–199
Carol Clerk, "George Harrison", Uncut, February 2002; available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required).
Lavezzoli 2006, pp. 194–195

Sources

Beck, Guy L., ed. (2005). Alternative Krishnas: Regional and Vernacular Variations on a Hindu Deity. SUNY Press. ISBN 0-7914-6415-6. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Bryant, Edwin F.; Ekstrand, Maria, eds. (2004). The Hare Krishna Movement: The Postcharismatic Fate of a Religious Transplant. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12256-X. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Cole, Richard; Dwyer, Graham (2007). The Hare Krishna Movement: Forty Years of Chant and Change. London: I. B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84511-407-7. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Gibson, Lynne (2002). Modern World Religions: Hinduism – Pupil Book Core (Modern World Religions). Oxford (England): Heinemann Educational Publishers. ISBN 0-435-33619-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Greene, Joshua M. (2006). Here Comes the Sun: The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-12780-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
"ISKCON in Indonesia". Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
Lavezzoli, Peter (2006). The Dawn of Indian Music in the West. New York: Continuum. ISBN 0-8264-2819-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

External links

Official website
Works by or about ISKCON at the Internet Archive
Works by or about Hare Krishna at the Internet Archive

v t e ISKCON temples
India	Bangalore Jaipur Chennai Delhi Mayapur Pune Vrindavan
Outside India	Bhaktivedanta Manor (Hertfordshire, UK) Hare Krishna Temple, Toronto (CA) Inis Rath (Loch Erne, UK) New Vrindaban (US) Radha Krishna Temple (London, UK) Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple (Spanish Fork) (US)
Category

v t e Chaitanya (Gaudiya) Sampradaya
Sampradaya acharyas pre-Chaitanya	Kṛṣṇa Brahmā Nārada Vyāsa Madhvācārya Padmanābha Tīrtha Narahari Tīrtha Mādhava Tīrtha Akṣobhya Tīrtha Jaya Tīrtha Vyāsa Tīrtha Mādhavendra Purī Īśvara Purī
Pancha-tattva	Chaitanya Nityananda Advaita Acharya Gadadhara Pandita Srivasa Thakura
Post-Chaitanya	Six Goswamis (Rupa, Sanatana, Jiva, Raghunatha dasa, Gopala Bhatta, Raghunatha Bhatta) Baladeva Vidyabhushana Gopalas Haridasa Thakur Krishnadasa Narottama Svarupa Damodara Visvanatha Chakravarti
Modern	Bhaktivinoda Bijoy Krishna Bon Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami Gaurakiṣora Govinda Haridas Shastri Harikesa Swami Jayapataka Swami Kailasa Candra Keshava Krishna Prem Narayana Paramadwaiti Puri Sadananda Sarasvati Satyanarayana Shrivatsa Goswami Sridhar Swami (Prabhupada) Tirtha Vamandas
Organizations	Gaudiya Math Gaudiya Mission Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti ISKCON ISKCON Revival Movement Science of Identity Foundation Sri Caitanya Prema Samsthana Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Sri Sri Radha Govindaji Trust World Vaisnava Association
Famous bhaktas	Hanuman Arjuna Prahlada Narada Haridasa
Writers	Vrindavana Dasa Thakura Vyasa Valmiki
Avataras of God	Matsya Kurma Varaha Narasimha Vamana Parashurama Rama Balarama Krishna Buddha Kalki Dhanvantari Kapila Caitanya
Topics	Bhakti Supreme Personality of Godhead Sampradaya Parampara Japa Yoga Meditation Hare Krishna Achintya Bheda Abheda Mantras Puja Arati Bhajan Kirtan Sattvic diet Ahimsa Rishis Tilaka Guru Diksha
Holy texts	Bhagavad Gita Shrimad Bhagavatam Vedas Chaitanya Charitamrita Ramayana Mahabharata Puranas Upanishads Chaitanya Bhagavata
Spiritual abodes	Goloka Vrindavan Vaikuntha
Holy attributes	Lotus Sudarshana Chakra Narayanastra Kaumodaki Nandaki Sharangam Shankha
Holy days	Rama Navami Janmashtami Gaura-purnima Ekadashi
Names of Godhead	List of titles and names of Krishna List of names of Vishnu Hari Govinda Gopala Vāsudeva
Worship	Karatalas Mridangam Harmonium Incense of India Om Hindu temple Japamala
Comparative study	Nastika Advaita Adevism Anti-Hinduism Criticism of Hinduism Persecution of Hindus Asura Hinduism and other religions (Buddhism and Hinduism * Gautama Buddha in Hinduism Jainism and Hinduism Rama in Jainism Hindu–Islamic relations Hinduism and Judaism Hinduism and Sikhism Bahá'í Faith and Hinduism Christianity in India) Reincarnation Karma Diet in Hinduism God in Hinduism Moksha Samsara Vegetarianism Astika
Offshoots	Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Mahanam Sampraday
Other	Jagannatha Narayana Brahman Paramatma Bhagavan Tulasi Devis list Tridevi Radharani Sita Deva Demigods list Trimurti Indian philosophy Dharma Artha Arthashastra Kama Indian idealism Varna Ashrama Swami Goswami Krishnology Hinduism by country Hindu cosmology Hindu units of time Hindu views on evolution Hindu calendar Hindu astrology List of numbers in Hindu scriptures Hinduism portal

v t e Modern Gaudiya Vaishnavas (1800s to date)
The 19th – early 20th century	Bhaktivinoda Thakur Bijoy Krishna Goswami Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Sri Krishna Prem
Gaudiya Math	Bhakti Hridaya Bon Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Sadananda Dasa Vamana Dasa
Governing Body Commission, and other ISKCON Gurus	A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Bhakti Caitanya Swami Bhakti Charu Swami Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami Bhakti Tirtha Swami Bhakti Vijnana Goswami Chaitanya Chandra Charan Das Giriraja Swami Indradyumna Swami Jayadvaita Swami Jayapataka Swami Kadamba Kanana Swami Mukunda Goswami Radhanath Swami Ravindra Svarupa Dasa Romapada Swami Sacinandana Swami Satsvarupa dasa Goswami Tamal Krishna Goswami
Other ISKCON Vaishnavas (1966 to date)	Richard Shaw Brown Michael Cremo Alfred Ford Geoffrey Giuliano Hansadutta Swami Harikesa Swami Jayananda Dasa Jayatirtha Dasa Kirtanananda Swami Malati Dasi Radhika Ramana Dasa Ramesh Kallidai Ramesvara Das Ranchor Prime Sadhu Priya Das Steven J. Rosen Graham Schweig Shaunaka Rishi Das Richard L. Thompson Visnujana Swami Yadunandana Swami
Gaudiya Math lineage	Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Bhakti Prajnan Keshava Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Kailasa Candra Dasa
Other lineages	Haridas Shastri Satyanarayana Dasa Shrivatsa Goswami
Modern offshoots	Kripalu Maharaj Mahanambrata Brahmachari Prabhu Jagadbandhu Prakashanand Saraswati
*ISKCON guru Former Gaudiya Math member Former ISKCON member

Bengali Hindus

Society

Groups	Babu Bangal Bhadralok Ghoti
Castes	Aguri Bagdi Baidya Baishya Kapali Baishya Saha Barujibi Bauri Brahmin Chunaru Dom Gandhabanik Suvarna Banik Hari Kaibartya Kansabanik Karmakar Kayastha Kulin Maulika Mahishya Malla Namasudra Namassej Avarna Sadgop Shunri Yogi

Religion

Books	Bhagavad Gita Chandi Panchali Matuasmritokotha
Sects	Brahmo Kartabhaja Shaiva Shakta Vaishnava
Orders	Adi Brahmo Samaj Ananda Marga Bharat Sevashram Sangha Brahmo Conference Organisation Brahmo Samaj Gaudiya Math Gaudiya Mission International Society for Krishna Consciousness Matua Mahasangha Ramakrishna Order Self-Realization Fellowship Sri Aurobindo Ashram Vedanta Society Yogoda Satsanga Society of India
Festivals	Poila Baisakh Rabindra Jayanti Akshaya Tritiya Buddho Purnima Shashthi Savitri Brata Ambubachi Mela Dhamrai Jagannath Roth Jhulan Purnima Janmashtami Bhadu Ganesh Chaturthi Vishwakarma Puja Durga Puja Lakshmi Puja Diwali Kali Puja Bhai Phonta Shakta Rash Nabanna Jagaddhatri Puja Kalpataru Day Swami Vivekananda's Birthday Makar Sankranti Maghotsab Saraswati Puja Maha Shivaratri Dol Purnima Holi Gajan

Culture

Music	Rabindra Sangeet Shyama Sangeet Kirtan Bishnupur gharana
Dance	Gaudiya Nritya Rabindra Nritya Natya
Literature	Vaishnava Padavali Mangal-Kavya Panchali Kallol Hungry generation

Folk culture

Folk art	Dhokra Sholapith
Folk dance	Raibenshe Chhau Paika Dhamail Alkap Gombhira Kavigan

Others

v t e Hindu reform movements
Reform movements	Adi Dharm/Brahmoism Brahmo Samaj Sadharan Brahmo Samaj Advait Mat Divine Light Mission American Meditation Institute Ananda Ananda Ashrama Ananda Marga Anandamayee Sangha Art of Living Arya Samaj Ayyavazhi Brahma Kumaris Chinmaya Mission Datta Yoga Divine Life Society Hanuman Foundation Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy Hindu nationalism Hindutva Hindu Janajagruti Samiti Hindu Mahasabha Hindu Munnani Hindu Sena Hindu Yuva Vahini Sanatan Sanstha Sangh Parivar Vishva Hindu Parishad Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh International Vedanta ISKCON ISKCON Revival Isha Foundation Kriya Yoga Mahima Dharma Mata Amritanandamayi Math Matua Mahasangha Narayana Dharma Prarthana Samaj Ramakrishna Mission / Vedanta Societies Ravidassia Sahaja Yoga Sant Mat Radha Soami Sathya Sai Baba Satsang Satya Dharma Satyashodhak Samaj Science of Identity Self-Realization Fellowship / Yogoda Satsanga Shirdi Sai Baba Sivananda yoga Sri Aurobindo Ashram Sri Ramana Ashram Abidance in Truth Swadhyay Parivar NNDYM Transcendental Meditation
Topics	Bhakti Brahmacharya Caste Ghar Wapsi Moksha Neo-Vedanta Persecution of Hindus Shuddhi Women in Hinduism
Gurus and revivalist writers	Meher Baba Amritanandamayi Ananda Yogi Anandamayi Ma Anukulchandra Chakravarty Arumuka Navalar Athavale Aurobindo Boro Maa Chatterjee Chinmayananda Saraswati Chinmoy Dayananda Saraswati Daya Mata Ganapathi Sachchidananda Haidakhan Babaji Hariharananda Giri Jaggi Vasudev Jyotirao Phule Kalki Bhagawan Kelkar, N. C. Kriyananda Lekhraj Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Mahatma Gandhi Mirra Alfassa Narayana Guru Neem Karoli Nirmala Paramananda Prem Rawat Ram Chandra Ram Dass Ram Mohan Roy Ramakrishna Ramana Maharshi Ravi Shankar Sarkar Sathya Sai Baba Savarkar Sen, K. C. Shraddhanand Sister Nivedita Sivananda Swami Rama Tagore, D. Tilak Vaswani Vipulananda Vishnudevananda Vivekananda Yogananda more
General	Indian diaspora Indianisation Influence of Indian religions Indian-origin religions Hinduism Buddhism Jainism Sikhism Persecution of Hindus

v t e New religious movements
Major groups	Adi Dharm/Brahmoism Adventism CoG7 SDA Aetherius Society Ahmadiyya Lahore Ahmadiyya Ananda Marga Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis Anthroposophy Antoinism Armstrongism Bábism Baháʼí Faith Bible Students/Jehovah's Witnesses Black Hebrew Israelites Brahma Kumaris Branch Davidians Brotherhood of the Cross and Star Caodaism Chabad Noahidism Charismatic Christianity Pentecostal (Oneness) Charismatic Neo-charismatic Chinese salvationist religions Chinmaya Mission Christadelphians Christian Science Church of Divine Science Church of Scientology Church of the Guanche People Creativity Discordianism Falun Gong The Family International Friends of Man Fourth Way Fung Loy Kok Goddess Godianism Heaven's Gate Humanistic Judaism Iglesia ni Cristo International Peace Mission movement ISKCON Invitation to Life Jewish Renewal Kingdom of Jesus Christ Kopimism Latter Day Saints/Mormonism Maha Bodhi Society Messianic Judaism Modern paganism Druidry Heathenry Rodnovery Moorish Science Temple of America Nation of Islam New Acropolis New Apostolic Church The New Church New Confucianism New Kadampa Tradition New Thought Religious Science Unity Church Nuwaubian Nation Oomoto Opus Dei Palmarian Catholic Church Peoples Temple Pilgrims of Arès Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha The Process Church Raëlism Rajneesh movement Ramakrishna Mission Rastafari Risshō Kōsei Kai Sahaja Yoga Sant Mat Radha Soami Santa Muerte Santo Daime Satanism LaVeyan Church of Satan Temple of Set The Satanic Temple Theistic Joy of Satan Ministries Sathya Sai Baba Shakers Shambhala Buddhism Shri Ram Chandra Mission Soka Gakkai Spiritualism Spiritism Sukyo Mahikari Tenrikyo Thelema Theosophy Theosophical Society Transcendental Meditation True Buddha School Twelve Tribes communities Unarius Academy of Science Unification Church Unitarian Universalist Association United Submitters International Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Universal White Brotherhood Vipassana movement Eastern Lightning The Way International Weixinjiao Wicca Word of Faith World Mission Society Church of God
Notable figures	Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Noble Drew Ali Marshall Applewhite Michael Angelo Aquino Herbert W. Armstrong Shoko Asahara Sri Aurobindo Báb Sathya Sai Baba Baháʼu'lláh Alice Bailey Chinmayananda Saraswati David Berg Helena Blavatsky Sri Chinmoy Aleister Crowley Mary Baker Eddy Josemaría Escrivá Louis Farrakhan Charles Fillmore Kelsang Gyatso Hak Ja Han L. Ron Hubbard Li Hongzhi David Koresh Anton LaVey Jorge Ángel Livraga Rizzi Lu Sheng-yen Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Meher Baba Nikkyō Niwano Sun Myung Moon Elijah Muhammad Nakayama Miki A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Phineas Parkhurst Quimby Raël Rajneesh Ramakrishna Prem Rawat Helena Roerich Charles Taze Russell Joseph Franklin Rutherford Ahn Sahng-hong Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar Menachem Mendel Schneerson Shiv Dayal Singh Joseph Smith Nirmala Srivastava Emanuel Swedenborg Rudolf Steiner Joseph W. Tkach Chögyam Trungpa Ellen G. White Poykayil Yohannan
By region	Pacific Northwest
Concepts	African-initiated church Buddhist modernism Chabad messianism Christian denomination Classifications of religious movements Conspiracy theories Cult Cybersectarianism Doomsday cult Heresy Hindu reform movements In-group favoritism Japanese new religions Neoshamanism New Age Open-source religion Polytheistic reconstructionism Prosperity theology Religious conversion Religious syncretism Schism Sect Self religion Spiritual evolution UFO religion
Public education	CESNUR INFORM (Information Network Focus on Religious Movements) World Religions and Spirituality Project
Scholarship	Academic study of new religious movements Anthropology of religion History of religion Journal of Contemporary Religion Nova Religio Philosophy of religion Psychology of religion Religious studies Sociology of religion When Prophecy Fails
Opposition	Anti-cult movement Christian countercult movement Anti-Mormonism Persecution of Ahmadis Persecution of Baháʼís Persecution of Falun Gong Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses Persecution of Rastafari Religious discrimination against modern pagans
Lists	Academic study In popular culture New religious movements

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