Betrayal of the Spirit: My Life behind the Headlines of the Hare Krishna Movement

— —

Nori J. Muster

Betrayal of the Spirit

My Life behind the Headlines of the Hare Krishna Movement

Nori J. Muster

$60.99

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

University of Illinois Press
29 March 2001

Other non-Christian religions; Mysticism, magic & ritual

"Combining behind-the-scenes coverage of an often besieged religious group with a personal account of one woman's struggle to find meaning in it, Betrayal of the Spirit takes readers to the center of life in the Hare Krishna movement.

Nori J. Muster joined the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)--the Hare Krishnas--in 1978, shortly after the death of the movement's spiritual master, and worked for ten years as a public relations secretary and editor of the organization's newspaper, the ISKCON World Review. In this candid and critical account, Muster follows the inner workings of the movement and the Hare Krishnas' progressive decline.

Combining personal reminiscences, published articles, and internal documents, Betrayal of the Spirit details the scandals that beset the Krishnas--drug dealing, weapons stockpiling, deceptive fundraising, child abuse, and murder within ISKCON–as well as the dynamics of schisms that forced some 95 percent of the group's original members to leave. In the midst of this institutional disarray, Muster continued her personal search for truth and religious meaning as an ISKCON member until, disillusioned at last with the movement's internal divisions, she quit her job and left the organization.

In a new preface to the paperback edition, Muster discusses the personal circumstances that led her to ISKCON and kept her there as the movement's image worsened. She also talks about ""the darkest secret""–child abuse in the ISKCON parochial schools--that was covered up by the public relations office where she worked."

By: Nori J. Muster
Imprint: University of Illinois Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 367g
ISBN: 9780252065668
ISBN 10: 0252065662
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 29 March 2001
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Nori J. Muster, a freelance writer and website designer, lives in Arizona. Larry D. Shinn, president of Berea College, is the author of The Dark Lord: Cult Images and the Hare Krishnas in America.

Reviews for Betrayal of the Spirit: My Life behind the Headlines of the Hare Krishna Movement

An important insider critique of a disturbing era in ISKON's history. - Publisher's Weekly Scholars of religion will find much of value in Muster's thoughtful and well written account. Anti-cultists will find ammunition for their crusade as well. -- Catherine Wessinger, Nova Religio