virus: Hare Krishna Virus Symptom (Lesson 2)

David Rosdeitcher (76473.3041@compuserve.com)
04 Mar 97 15:52:01 EST

I once saw an advertizement for a new Anti-Virus computer program for a virus
called the "Harry Krishna" virus. I was curious about why this virus was named
after a cult and I checked out the progam. It turned out that the Harry Krishna
virus eats away at sections of hard drives that have already been infected. I
thought about how clever a name that really was, since the Hare Krishna
movement, which I am familiar with, attracts people who's minds are already
infected with contradictory ideas as well as toxic substances (ie. alcohol,
heroin, etc.) Then it occured to me that the Hare Krishna movement not only
contained a mind virus, but was, in and of itself, a societal virus.The
Krishnas, through their begging at airports and other places, live parasitically
off their hosts--the working people. And, while they take the money, they spread
their virus through proselytization, as they hand out pamphlets and books as
well as preach.
The techniques the Krishnas use to get money are very effective. They rely
on a certain weaknesses of their hosts. People tend to take a first impression
and immediately mentally construct an entire big picture, from that impression.
And, people usually feel guilty about something. One of the Hare Krishna
techniques for begging(which the Krishnas consider a "holy" act) that works in a
tourist area, is to be very well dressed, with some sort of badge or tag on
them, and go up to people and say, "Excuse me, sir, (ma'am) I have to issue you
a citation!" At this point the surprised confronted person creates this mental
picture that they are approached by some official who is saying they are in
trouble. The Krishna then says, "A citation for being the world's nicest tourist
(or something similar) Could you please give a donation to help us out, we are
teachers...etc". Often, the host, relieved that he/she is not in trouble, takes
out a 5 dollar bill and gives it to the person that is a plainclothes Hare
Krishna, and says, "No problem, anytime. Thanks, See ya".
This technique of using an image to create a false impression or big
picture in the mind of the host is also seen at CoV:

One post began like this:

>Tad, the impaler wrote:

Here's a cut from another post that implies other people using this technique:

>Zen texts speak of a
>state of
>"enlightenment", although some refuse to name it at all.

-David