Butler gave a series of lectures about the mind (you know, like over 40 years ago) and how he read some scientific article about people who lived with no brains and that this was somehow proof that the mind is not the brain (and thereby not the seat of consciousness). I read about these cases of so called "no brainers" and it was total bullshit. The people had brains but their brains were thinned out by cranial fluid, a disorder that actually causes many problems and eventually death. This is the doctor who studied it that Butler references in the lecture: [
en.m.wikipedia.org]
Butler and Bhaktivedanta loved conspiracy theories like this because it allowed them to sound intelligent and as if they are well informed about science. The fact that Butler thinks that lining his home interior with tin foil is healthy or remotely normal should be a red flag to any mildly sane follower. No matter what words of so called wisdom he may spew on rare occasion. Definitely not worshippable by any stretch.
These so-called spiritual Masters loved bashing women, black people, science, gays, and other religious groups. They loved denying the holocaust, praising hitler, Claiming the moon landing was a hoax (because the moon is further away and larger than the sun and covered in kusha grass or whatever). They made baseless claims, held unsupported theories and sugar coated their ignorance by peddling feel good tales about the krishna God.
In the leaked video where butler slams homosexuals and suggests that if they stopped fucking each other in the ass then AIDS would stop, one can immediately see the conspiracy theories about AIDS that were propagated in the 80s and 90s. It's almost laughable his lack of knowledge and supposed yoga master status he accepts as a title. His knowledge of yoga or the veda could be reduced to a handful of verses yet he's ready to accept the title of Paramahamsa. The complete lack of humility and blatant arrogance his life represents is indicative of the quality of followers he attracts and maintains. The only thing that he can do to attract people is peddle yoga nidra techniques that have nothing to do with Gaudiya vaishnava practice or teachings.
Butler used fake science and charisma to have his followers virtue signal about all sorts of things while asking them to surrender to him and believe in a blue playboy god who lifted a hill with his pinky to protects his village from the rain god Indra.
Butler thinks it's better for his followers kids to be taught myths as fact and live a life of self deprecation in his schools in the Philippines run by his fanatical devotees than to live with their parents and learn to be a part of society in a meaningful way.
I wonder how many of the devotee parents nowadays would send their kids to a butler gurukula... Probably not one. Even the guys I went to the school with would opt out. The fact is that we live in a time where these types of groups need to increasingly isolate themselves from the rest of the world in order to function. They can't preach without being exposed as hypocrites and uneducated. Butler gave lectures against so many topics while his disciples sat and laughed and mindlessly agreed with him. They never bothered to research what he was talking about, how it was relevant and applicable etc.
Little kids being told their body and mind are not who they are is not just useless to them, but damaging as well. It immediately creates a lie that they tell themselves but holds no water. Their life is spent thinking of themselves as some abstract soul and that thier true "spiritual form" is that of a cowheard maidservant if the amorouse couple, Radha and Krishna. Radha is not even mentioned in all thier scriptures. The original vedas don't even mention krishna. vishnu is a side dirty in most of the 4 original vedas.
Butler devotees don't care to study thier own scriptures let alone follow them. Casteism is a huge component of vedic dharma writings. Even the Gita. And Butler and the like are ultimately enacting a type of brahmanism 2.0. Were they position themselves and a few appointed, select and approved "brahmans" at the top of the hierarchical structure of the group and everybody else is expected to fall in line and perform their duty without attachment. And of course, in practice, this has never been shown to be remotely successful. The proof is in all of the splinter gaudiya vaishnava groups existing today.
Butler always preached that a true spiritual Master should be self-effulgent and self-evident. Yet he has spent a considerable amount of time "protecting" his followers from seeking inspiration and guidance from other groups and teachers. oftentimes to the tune of him losing complete composure, swearing and cursing and freaking out and pouting.