I've read quite a lot about the Hare Krishna religion and even spoke to some devotees, and I learned that there are several things that Hare Krishna followers are not allowed to do:
- smoking
- drinking alcohol
- doing drugs
- having promiscuous (sp?) sex
- eat meat
- eat/drink dairy products (except milk under some circumstances)
- eat garlic and onions (don't ask me why)
- attach value to material things

And if I'm not mistaken, George did most or all of these things, and kept doing them even after he became a Krishna follower.

Does anyone know if he actually did live by the Krishna rules for a while, or was he just one of those people that picked a religion and only used the elements of it that he liked?

good question but I'm afraid I don't know the answer

It's hard to tell because he got into the krishna thing after the Beatles breakup and I personally don't know too much about his life during the solo years, but like you said, I think George wasn't taking that religion too seriously to the point of doing all those things you posted.

George never joined the sect. However, he saw much of value in its teachings (as we all know!). He was also generous financially towards them.

It's not a sect... It's an age old religion, just because it's a minority in the western civilization doesn't mean it's a sect.

But still I find that strange... The absolute first rule of Hare Krishna contiousness is to stop eating meat... That's what they're literally saying: the very first thing you must do if you want to built up a healthy relationship with God is stoping eating His creatures (and no, I don't want to start another discussion about vegetarism because we're obviously never going to agree)... Correctly me if I'm wrong, but George wasn't a vegetarian, right? So I think it's odd that he donated so much money to a religion while he wasn't even willing to commit to it's most important rule.

Theres something about his standing on vegitarianism in that anthology book. I can't remember the direct quote but it was something about meat giving him head aches and him objecting to the killing of animals.

Quoted from Biscuit_Power, posted July 25, 2004, 8:35pm at here

It's not a sect... It's an age old religion, just because it's a minority in the western civilization doesn't mean it's a sect.

Haven't you just explained why it IS a sect in western civ?

I don't know what the exact definition of the word sect is, so I must admit I'm not sure.

I looked up the deffinition of sect and it is: a : a dissenting or schismatic religious body; especially : one regarded as extreme or heretical b : a religious denomination

I dono if George didn't eat meat or not, but I know a lot of the things he did that were against thoes rules...

Quoted from Biscuit_Power, posted July 26, 2004, 2:39pm at here

I don't know what the exact definition of the word sect is, so I must admit I'm not sure.

lets not nitpick now.  Anyway, I thought it was not true that George left a lot of money to the society?

I'm a Christian and I admit that I dont follow 10 commandments to a tee. George was only human and I dont feel any of it is a big deal if he didnt follow a certain religion like a robot.

Exactly.  Priests and other adherents cannot walk the straight and narrow perfectly, how can a simple believer?  Hell, clergy supposedly dedicate their whole life to their religion.

Like tk sez, you will never find anyone, not even Mother Teresa, who follows all 10 commandments.  It's impossible.  Perhaps it is the *willingness* to try that makes a pious person.

Either way, as to the original question, I think George was far too accustomed to having things his way for such a long time that he found some justification somewhere for the things he chose to ignore.  Pretty much the way we all do.

Quoted from tkitna, posted July 27, 2004, 12:18am at here

I'm a Christian and I admit that I dont follow 10 commandments to a tee. George was only human and I dont feel any of it is a big deal if he didnt follow a certain religion like a robot.

That's true, but eating meat is a pretty serious sin for Hare Krishna followers since all living creatures are considered equal by that religion. And you can not seriously consider yourself a christian if you systematically ignore one or more of the 10 commandments on a daily base, right?

Quoted from Biscuit_Power, posted August 4, 2004, 8:57pm at here

And you can not seriously consider yourself a christian if you systematically ignore one or more of the 10 commandments on a daily base, right?

I see your point and agree with you for the most part, but (and I promise you that this will be my last comment due to my promise of not engaging in religious and political threads) it has been said that some people who have sinned heavily throughout their lives have been allowed to enter heaven by accepting Jesus even on their deathbeds. I feel that i'm a christian even though I stray sometimes. Ok, i'm done as i've already gone too far.

christianity will be the down fall of man........

it will fade, it will vanish.  I just wonder what will go first...

Quoted from pc31, posted August 5, 2004, 10:18am at here

christianity will be the down fall of man........

Make that religion in general, then I think you could be right.

its to rooted in history to vanish.i do think as freeism maxes out that less will choose it but it has been copied and called something else.so die out unlikely.watered down.ya-ya
i wish everybody could get into usism.not as in the u.s. but us as a whole planet of living breating carbon units.
the whole religion thing reminds me kinda like big brother is watching you like the had in dmitrys country and early america.god knows......it kinda resembles brow beating on a major scale.i am not knocking it because i believe everyone is entitled to their beliefs and shouldn't have to fear ridicule for their choice.
faith is something that is probally largely responsible for our survival.it moves mountains and more.it is key in self-motivation.
religion teaches faith.so it can't be all bad.its just not my cup of tea..........

I agree with Biscuit Power religion in general with be the downfall of mankind

Don't talk nonsense.

Who's heard the Milk and Honey remaster cd with the interview. Well I belive in what John says on that. Everything he says on that.

I don't think the Hare Krishna movement is considered a religion. It was a movement, an offshoot of Hinduism for westerners. Hare Krishna was just a mantra chanted by the followers. Krishna was an incarnation of the god Vishnu, who in turn is Ishvara, who in turn is Brahman. People who take Hinduism very strictly believe once you leave India, you are no longer a Hindu. That is why things like the Hare Krishna movement were so popular in the West. Since George, (and many other financially well-off people), weren't born into the Hindu caste system, they could never be a true Hindu. So thats why these "sects" were created. You got most of the spirituality, but with less prerequisites. At least that's my 2 cents on the topic, and I know a bit about Hinduism. I know enough to realize Hinduism isn't even a religion, but that's not an argument for a George Harrison forum.

Where did Because go?

Anybody know?

Quoted from Joost

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Does anyone know if he actually did live by the Krishna rules for a while, or was he just one of those people that picked a religion and only used the elements of it that he liked?

I think he liked the ideas/wisdoms of it. He was born a Christian right? And about not eating meat- well, Paul and Ringo covered up for him  

Religion... such an interesting topic Anyone a theologist?

By the way Herecomesyoursun I love your pic sig *thumbs up*

I think George was a very complex person... he didn't really sleep around...
i know only 1 or 2 cases and it basically was out of hurt... and a little confussion i think
- smoking
- drinking alcohol
- doing drugs
these are the only ones he didn't follow for sure... smoking is hard to quit though so i can see not quitting right away..

i think george was a good follower overall of the religion though... better towards the later years of his life... he was settling down more....

As I understand it, Hare Krishna devotees are not supposed to have any artificial stimulants, including tea and coffee, in addition to the traditional drugs, alcohol, cigarettes. They are also supposed to have sex only for procreation. Srila Prabhupada gave George a pass on these stricter requirements (including shaving his head) because he believed George was doing more good out in the world where he was, and in his lifestyle it would be too hard to keep up the disciplines that the devotees in the temple followed.

For more information than you probably want to know, see http://www.geocities.com/priitaa/gh_and_sp.htm
Cheers.

I think he had great respect for The radha krishna temple, but I'm pretty sure George put together his own 'religion', combining all the parts of other religions that he found relevant to his life. I don't think it's an uncommon thing to do.

Olivia agrees with you, BM. She said so in an interview I recall reading, although I forget where. At least one biographer asserts that George became less interested in the Krishna people after his favorite teachers died, and he thought they were more interested in his money than his spiritual development. But I think most people pick and choose the pieces of whatever philosophy they follow anyway; to do otherwise would be pretty mindless.