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- Hare Krishna views of homosexuality, and especially the view of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) towards LGBT issues, are similar to their views of heterosexual relationships, i.e. because the living entity is identifying with the body, any attraction based on the desire to gratify the body and its senses is symptomatic of illusion and can be purified by progressively elevating the consciousness. Put simply, both hetero- and homosexual attraction is due to an illusory attachment to the temporary body. Same-sex relations and gender variance have been represented within Hinduism from Vedic times through to the present day, in rituals, law books, mythical narratives, commentaries, paintings, and sculpture. The extent to which these representations embrace or reject homosexuality has been disputed within the religion as well as outside of it. The Hare Krishna movement, as a distinct Hindu sect, and especially ISKCON, generally view all sex and sexuality (except procreational sex within the context of marriage) as being "illicit" with another partner. The focus of one's life is supposed to be geared towards spirituality and not sexuality. Nevertheless, there have been a number of LGBT people involved in the Hare Krishna movement over the years. According to the accounts of his disciples, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada didn't discriminate on the base of sexual orientation - however, he condemned homosexual sex on the strength of the argument that although all sexuality is the root of bondage in the material world, heterosexual sex can at least be spiritualized by having children and raising them in Krishna consciousness; which is not possible through homosexual sexual activity. In Prabhupada's own words, from the conversation he had with one of his disciples, Govinda Dasi, "The sex life between man and woman can be sanctified by marriage. That is the difference. Krsna says in the Gita that I am the sex life within marriage. So within marriage it can be used for having nice Krsna conscious children but not like this. This is very low class." Furthermore, it says in Prabhupada's commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam 3.20.26, "In other words, the homosexual appetite of a man for another man is demoniac and is not for any sane male in the ordinary course of life." (en)
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- Hare Krishna views of homosexuality, and especially the view of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) towards LGBT issues, are similar to their views of heterosexual relationships, i.e. because the living entity is identifying with the body, any attraction based on the desire to gratify the body and its senses is symptomatic of illusion and can be purified by progressively elevating the consciousness. Put simply, both hetero- and homosexual attraction is due to an illusory attachment to the temporary body. Same-sex relations and gender variance have been represented within Hinduism from Vedic times through to the present day, in rituals, law books, mythical narratives, commentaries, paintings, and sculpture. The extent to which these representations embrace or reject (en)
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