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atheist
The Honolulu Advertiser recently did a series of four articles about charities and regulation of charities in Hawaii.

The first article titled: "Hawaii's rules lax on oversight of charities," September 19, 2007 is at:

[tinyurl.com]

There is a summary page of the articles at:

[tinyurl.com]

There is a searchable database of 700 Hawaii charities at

[the.honoluluadvertiser.com]

The Science of Identity Foundation is one of the charities listed.

Here is the information provided for the Science of Identity Foundation:

Organization Science Of Identity Foundation
Address PO Box 27450
City Honolulu
Phone (808) 533-0277
Tax year ending 12/31/2004
Total revenue $1,631,217.00
Program expenses $431,542.00
Mgmt expenses $62,038.00
Program expenses pct 87%
Fundraising expenses $0.00
Affiliate payments 0
Total expenses $493,580.00
Net assets $1,802,250.00
Highest Paid Executive
Highest paid executive Bruce Pederson
Title Art Director
Total compensation $79,958.00

The information is gleaned from www.guidestar.com

Bruce Pederson- Ivesvara das. Australian/NZ disciple of ACB cartoonist for Disney and no doubt the Main person behind Ninjai cartoon character- pet project of Queen Bee's children. Interesting that he is the only one on salary.

Programs supported by Science of Identity would include Ninjai, Redrock Studios- video producer/facility (originally in Arizona) of Queen bee's Yoga series, SIF lectures that no longer exist. Note Queen bee's and SIF lectures
only ever were shown on PBS Public stations which airs shows for free.
Can you imagine a network paying for these shows?

Then all of SIF running expenses which would include all gas reimbursements for runners who drive all over getting clothes for Queen Bee and Sid along with food items that are cooked in the dungeons of a kitchen preparing the 27+++ different varieties of foods- Remember those homemade wafery potato chips Sid demanded daily- all hell would break loose with the cooks if they come down not to his liking!
And the houses Queen Bee and Co exist in. In Malibu they had two. What ever happened to the piece of land on PCH Malibu overlooking the ocean. It was purchased back in 90's to build a house for Queen bee and Sid.
I wonder who is on title for that one!! I believe there is a house there now- looks like Sid fortress so imagine he still owns it.

Its amazing that SIF has been able to maintain it's tax free status all these years. All in order to house the FL and his wife. What happened to the philsophy and preaching projects. Yes they have been replaced with yoga shows, political projects, cartoon characters.......

Anyone else have more to add?

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hoax108
Quotesman - thank you for providing the terrific information an Vedic life and tradition.

And it is interesting to note that the most dangerous demons who appear in Kali Yuga come in the form of priests or acharyas. Makes one wonder, doesn't it?

FL also claims to be part of the sampradaya, which I now question. I think this has been brought up before in this forum, but let's look at this issue - is he actually part of the sampradaya or not?

It is not in the folio but I have heard this from many different devotees who I trust to be telling me the truth, they said ACB said on different occaisions,..."He (Siddhaswarupa) has his own sampradaya."

And here is a letter where ACB is saying FL has his own philosophy.

“So far I have studies Siddhasvarupa, he is not a bad boy, but he has his own philosophy, from the very beginning.” Swami Bhaktivedanta



Berkeley
16 July, 1975
75-07-16
Honolulu
My Dear Paramahamsa Swami:
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 11, 1975 and have noted the contents. It is a good idea to send the fiberglass shells to India for fitting and testing. You can easily pack two or three in a crate and send air mail. Your Hare Krishna pineapple program is very nice. Continue to distribute. The name is already nicely advertised and there you can easily get pineapple.
Regarding the restaurant, why they should get salary? There should be no salary. You are working without salary, so why they should take. They are not very important men. So after this month arrange for no one to get any salary there. That will be nice.
Regarding the farm, if by getting money from the cash crops, then do that and improve the place. Construct temple and residential quarter. Somehow or other you have to keep the men who are there engaged. If they are allowed to become idle gradually they will again become hippies. If the farm cannot be utilized, then it may be sold. What is the use of keeping a bad cow? But if you are utilizing, then we can purchase the truck to help. But, what about the idea of selling the bus and repaying me Dollars 3,000.00? What happened to that idea? I had lent Dollars 5,000.00 and that should be repaid somehow or other. Everyone I advance money to, they repay. Brahmananda Swami took Rs. 16,000/-, and he has returned, so why not you also? Anyway, if there is some potential there then keep it and go on. But, if you are able to make profit, then why not you purchase the truck? So far I have studies Siddhasvarupa, he is not a bad boy, but he has his own philosophy, from the very beginning.
It is almost inevitable that there should be enviousness amongst the godbrothers, just like amongst my godbrothers. What kind of business is that which the man is giving Dollars 5,000.00 monthly profit?
It is very nice that you are getting that other property. You are gradually getting men, so try to develop it. If men are required, then you can get them from the mainland.
I hope this meets you in good health.
Your ever well wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/bs

It may be noted ACB left the planet less than two years after this letter was written. FL had no contact with ACB for the last two years he was on the planet. It is obvious to any Gaudiya Vaishnava who actually knows the tenants of the line, that FL is not part of the same sampradaya.

Is he a Vaishnava? Yes, anyone who worships Krishna or Vishnu is considered a Vaishnava, even the sahajiyas are considered Vaishnavas. But there are gradations of everything. By the Gaudiya standard FL is not a very advanced Vaishnava and not in the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya..

It may also be noted that when Katyayani began taking followers and displeased FL many of Fl advanced followers were saying Katyayani, "has her own sampradaya."

What we are seeing is a renegade sampradaya, spawing other apasampradayas. Apasampradaya means a branch that has disconnected itslelf from the main trunk.

Hey Jules,
Yea who could forget those friggen chips. As I recall it took one devotee 3 hours just to make one dinky bowl full. And sometimes FL would not even touch them. But if they were late or not cooked right there would be hell to pay.

I saw a movie not long ago called "The Devil Wears Prada" in which Meryl Streep plays the president of a high fashion mag who is a control freak, obsessive-compulsive, and extremely overbearing on her subordinates, all of whom are constantly in high anxiety.

Sound familiar?

If you watch it while keeping FL in the back of your mind you will find it quite funny, and quite sad.

Hello all, some great posts and lots of good information. Much thanks.

It is apparent that not only is JG lacking in the "qualities of a devotee", but it seems to me that the entire form has changed over the years. Yes, I note the change in Kirtans and the huge discrepancies between scripture and practice.

We are instructed to listen to the Lord in the heart, and to check scripture, in order to discern whether the Spiritual Master is genuine. I cannot find any corroboration in either place, sadly. I have tried.

I am happy and relieved also, to find there are real Vaishnavas out there. It gives me hope. There are some advanced devotees that I truly respect, in SOI.. my wish is that they will address this, but I am resigned to the fact that they will not. I wonder what it would take? Maybe once everybody leaves?

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terrenaut
Hello all, some great posts and lots of good information. Much thanks.

It is apparent that not only is JG lacking in the "qualities of a devotee", but it seems to me that the entire form has changed over the years. Yes, I note the change in Kirtans and the huge discrepancies between scripture and practice.

We are instructed to listen to the Lord in the heart, and to check scripture, in order to discern whether the Spiritual Master is genuine. I cannot find any corroboration in either place, sadly. I have tried.

I am happy and relieved also, to find there are real Vaishnavas out there. It gives me hope. There are some advanced devotees that I truly respect, in SOI.. my wish is that they will address this, but I am resigned to the fact that they will not. I wonder what it would take? Maybe once everybody leaves?

Certainly any real devotee would want to see a change come and would like to see FL get on the right track. Do not think no one has tried. But that change must come from the top. FL has gone down a very very long path and it appears nothing short of a miracle would change the direction he has taken. If you tried to change anything from within, if it had any effect at all, it would certainly reach the top. Then I can pretty much guarantee you all hell would break loose. You would be seen as a demon and offensive.

Anyone who reads scripture and really listens to the Lord in the heart must conclude the same as terrenaut.

There are many on the inside that have been so conditioned and jaded it would be very difficult for them to accept the truth about things. And many have a stake in the cult. After so many years it will be very difficult to admit so many things are wrong.

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hoax108
I remember listening to a lecture in which FL was talking about when ACB was approving various disciples as acharyas. Apparently Tusta received an "official" letter from ACB saying that he could accept disciples. FL was joking about this in his inimitable way, saying something like, "...well, at least he got a [i:eee66314a0]letter[/i:eee66314a0]". Apparently FL never received such a letter.

Letter to: Tusta Krsna
--
Ahmedabad
14 December, 1972
72-12-14
Byron's Bay, Australia
My dear Tusta Krishna,
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated November 18, November 22, and December 3, 1972, and I have heard that you are having some difficulties, so I have sent Siddhasvarupa there to help you.

Now try to keep a cool head under all circumstances and always remember that Krishna will protect you in any case, you haven't to worry anything.

I think that without you the New Zealand affair will not go on, but now you are leaving there to live on some farm in Australia. Of course, our serving Krishna is voluntary affair, so what can I say? If you think that is the best choice, I must agree, otherwise you might go away altogether.


Anyway we shall discuss in detail if I come there in future.
Regarding your questions in the letter of November 18, 1972, you have asked me if the spiritual master is ultimately Krishna, so the answer must be that if you think that way then everyone is Krishna. So why we should think like this? saktyavesa Avatara. means a living entity, but he is specially empowered. Not that he is Krishna. But on account of his exalted position he is honoured as much as Krishna. Not that he is Krishna. That is Mayavadi. He acts in the position of Krishna, but he is not Krishna, he is very dear to Krishna. That is explained: (here the verse was quoted: yasya prasadat bhagavata prasadat . . .) The spiritual master is acting in the position of Krishna because he is the most confidential servant of Krishna.
Your next question, after leaving this material realm does the devotee remain forever with his spiritual master? The answer is yes. But I think you have got the mistaken idea in this connection.

You speak of pure devotee, that he is saktyavesa avatara, that we should obey him only--these things are the wrong idea. If anyone thinks like that, that a pure devotee should be obeyed and no one else, that means he is a nonsense. We advise everyone to address one another as Prabhu. Prabhu means master, so how the master should be disobeyed? Others, they are also pure devotees. All of my disciples are pure devotees. Anyone sincerely serving the spiritual master is a pure devotee, it may be Siddhasvarupa or others, a-Siddhasvarupa. This must be very clearly stated. It is not only that your Siddhasvarupa is a pure devotee and not others. Do not try to make a faction. Siddhasvarupa is a good soul. But others should not be misled. Anyone who is surrendered to the spiritual master is a pure devotee, it doesn't matter if Siddhasvarupa or non-Siddhasvarupa. Amongst ourselves one should respect others as Prabhu, master, one another. As soon as we distinguish here is a pure devotee, here is a non-pure devotee, that means I am a nonsense. Why you only want to be in the spiritual sky with Siddhasvarupa? Why not all? If Siddhasvarupa can go, why not everyone? Siddhasvarupa will go, you will go, Syamasundara. will go, all others will go. We will have another ISKCON there. Of course, Mr. Nair must stay.
And if somebody does not go, then I shall have to come back to take him there. One should remember this and every one of my disciples should act in such a way that they may go with me and may not have to come back to take another birth.
As for your next question, can only a few pure devotees deliver others, anyone, if he is a pure devotee he can deliver others, he can become spiritual master. But unless he on that platform he should not attempt it. Then both of them will to go to hell, like blind men leading the blind.
Next you ask if I am present in my picture and form? Yes. In form as well as in teachings. To carry out the teachings of guru is more important than to worship the form, but none of them should be neglected. Form is called vapu and teachings is called vani. Both should be worshiped. Vani is more important than vapu.
Your next question is, should we love Krishna or love the spiritual master: You cannot go to Krishna directly, loving Him. It is common sense that if Krishna is the object of your love, His pet dog is also the object of your love. Friends meet friends and if the friend is with his dog the gentleman pats his dog first, is it not? So the man becomes automatically pleased, his dog being patted. I have seen it in your country. The conclusion is this: Without pleasing the spiritual master he cannot please Krishna. If anyone tries to please Krishna directly, he's fool number one.
Hoping this meets you and your good wife, Krishna Tulasi dasi, in good health and devotional mood.
Your ever well-wisher,
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/sda

Anyone can read into what is being said in the letter. But I think anyone who is actually listening to their heart can only conclude that ACB is telling Tusta it is not a good idea to promote FL as a pure devotee above others. ACB considered any disciple following him to be a pure devotee. (there are many gradations of pure devotee) To distinguish FL as something better than his other followers did not sit well with ACB. He did not like it. That is why he is telling Tusta the devotees should call each other Prabhu, master. A direct instruction that was rejected by both Tusta and FL. No one calls each other Prabhu in that organization. How they can get around not obeying that direct instruction is bewildering.

What I was told the reason they give for not calling others Prabhu is that it will make the common devotee puffed up thinking he is a master. But what is misunderstood is this addressing another devotee as Prabhu is a way to make ME humble, not the devotee being addressed. A real devotee sees all others as better than him. He sees other devotees as Prabhus, masters.

And how can you call some one Prabhu—pada (one at whose feet all masters sit) if there are no Prabhus in the cult????????

We can call FL - PRABHU_PADA, but not each other Prahbu????? Is anyone getting this?????

Just concoction after concoction FL created.

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I saw a movie not long ago called "The Devil Wears Prada" in which Meryl Streep plays the president of a high fashion mag who is a control freak, obsessive-compulsive, and extremely overbearing on her subordinates, all of whom are constantly in high anxiety.

The protagonists seduce their flock into a high class world of promised exclusive entry for the hopefuls. It gives their otherwise empty lives some promise and meaning, and at the very least, some value for the most underprivileged and underachievers of our society.

Same principles. "I will get you into the high fashion game in New York" and in paradise! Just worship at my feet ...

As for old pineapple head, he should have stayed on the south side of the Ganges River, instead of coming to the West to gather together a gang of criminals to tarnish the Vaishnava name for centuries to come:

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Regarding the restaurant, why they should get salary? There should be no salary. You are working without salary, so why they should take. [b:37e410fc29]They are not very important men. [/b:37e410fc29]So after this month arrange for no one to get any salary there. That will be nice.

Forever his disgrace that schools associated with his name were breeding and proved grounds for child molestors.

Underscored at the basis of all of the so - called Supreme Leader's efforts and that of spiritual master A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who founded ISCON (a society associated with criminals, hippies, losers and stand over tactics, and sex freaks), whom Fearless Supreme Leader has only paid respects in lip service (he never gave two toots about Swami and neither would any other sane thinking citizen) very well acknowledged here, are a bunch of:

undeducated criminals, hippies, surfers, wannabes and losers.

If Chris ever wants to rise above his lowly beginnings, he better start by properly educating the kids in the cult (when the penny finally clicks in his head that the kids are the future not him and his dietary requirements), because as the moment, they are about as nearly literate as third world monkeys.

To survive a cult needs smart people to follow on, not uneduated dummies. At the moment this cult consists about 98% of dummies.

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atheist
The Honolulu Advertiser recently did a series of four articles about charities and regulation of charities in Hawaii.

The Science of Identity Foundation is one of the charities listed.

Here is the information provided for the Science of Identity Foundation:

Organization Science Of Identity Foundation
Address PO Box 27450
City Honolulu
Phone (808) 533-0277
Tax year ending 12/31/2004
[b:45e774640c]Total revenue $1,631,217.00[/b:45e774640c]

Thanks, Atheist, for this interesting piece of information.

I must admit I have no idea of how the tax laws work, but I would guess that the charitable status is awarded to institutions like churches, where the money is used to buy a building for PUBLIC use, etc. (i.e. a CHURCH or TEMPLE, MOSQUE, etc)

In Science of Identity's case, however, the money is used solely to purchase expensive homes for ONE PERSON, Chris Butler, and his family. It seems like there must be a breach of the charitable status going on here. I wonder how they get away with doing this?

1.6 mil per year is a lot of money, by anybody's standards.

:?:

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Certainly any real devotee would want to see a change come and would like to see FL get on the right track. Do not think no one has tried. But that change must come from the top. FL has gone down a very very long path and it appears nothing short of a miracle would change the direction he has taken. If you tried to change anything from within, if it had any effect at all, it would certainly reach the top. Then I can pretty much guarantee you all hell would break loose. You would be seen as a demon and offensive.

Do you know of any attempts to change things? And, most recently, did anything come of the stuff that Cultreporter was making public?