Thirty-eight Years After Leaving ISKCON

Thirty-eight Years After Leaving ISKCON
By Nori Muster
July 29, 2026

In 1977, my senior year in college, I met the Hare Krishnas. They indoctrinated me, and I moved into the Los Angeles temple the day after graduation. I started as a secretary in the PR office, and afer a few years, my boss promoted me to work on the newspaper, ISKCON World Review. I left ISKCON in 1988.

The reason I left was the fascism coming from the GBC (the organization's Board of Directors) Over those ten years, they used the PR department to cover up their crimes, including murder. When we published an article in ISKCON World Review about the murder of Sulochan, Steve Bryant, the GBC tried to censor our newspaper. The president of the GBC told me we can only write about the good news going on in ISKCON.

When I left, I realized they used me to cover up their crimes. Also, a few years after leaving, I found out about the systemic child abuse, and abuse of women. My anger built up, and I was angry at them, and at myself.

For decades after leaving, I felt like ISKCON ruined my life. It was hard for me to accept that I willingly agreed to cover up their crimes. It made me feel dirty.

It was only when I turned sixty, I could finally forgive myself, and remember the good things in ISKCON. It satisfied my hunger for a connection to God. I had friends, and married a good man. My father stayed in my life, since he lived five miles north of the temple. The people I worked with were kind to me, and forty-three years ago, in ISKCON, they made me a full-time writer.

Just eight years after leaving ISKCON, the University of Illinois Press published my memoir, Betrayal of the Spirit, and it got great reviews, including Publishers Weekly. In the last chapter, I wrote my sentiments about leaving. [pp. 181 - 182]

The ISKCON I joined was exuberant, joyful, and confident. The ISKCON I left was scarred with scandal, enmity, and disgrace.

The events I witnessed left an indelible mark on my soul.

Like many former members, I still hold the philosophy, the rituals, and my relationship with Krishna as sacred.

Prabhupada wanted a unified, worldwide ISKCON. At times I have doubted whether that was possible, but I do have hope.

Betrayal of the Spirit came out thirty years ago, and at the time, I had hope for ISKCON. If they could accept the truth, and change their ways, people would recognize ISKCON as a religion. Unfortunately, the leaders still deny ISKCON's crimes. I don't think ISKCON can change.

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