On leaving ISKCON, and then finding Krishna ,
In 1985 I finally left ISKCON. I was ready to face the devil, or as the leaders called it, Maya, who they implied would drown me in the ocean of ignorance for all eternity. Sill I felt leaving was worth it, as I was tired, burned out, from all the money collecting, I was doing for so many hours and years( 5 total) to benefit the cause of the the organization. In the end the money was all stolen by the workers or so called devotees building the restaurant which was never finished.
For many years after leaving I had a good chance to reflect over why I ever got involved with this group who orange pilled(robed) me, to sacrifice five years of my life to find a spiritual God( Krishna) who was actually, deceptively, in darkest ignorance was thrown in a dark prison within that very organization.
Still I can't blame them, or hold them responsible being trapped there for so long. After all, I joined them of my own free will. I have come to realize we are all victimized, both leaders and followers, because of some level of ignorance, lack of knowledge, and personal life experience. if one is not genuinely self realized, and that goes for most of us human beings, we are going to have our fair share of struggles, and confusions, on our individual, and collective life journey.
Stay tunned for part two.