Cult News

The last album made by former Beatle George Harrison is titled “Brainwashed,” Capitol Records will soon release it, reports Entertainment Weekly.

It seems eerily odd that Harrison, as a long-time devotee of the “cult” known as the ‘International Society of Krishna Consciousness” (ISKCON), chose to name what became the album’s title song “Brainwashed.”

Harrison claimed his history with a former manager inspired the composition. In an almost therapeutic sense he explained, ”I need to get that last song out of my system.”

However, to the day he died Harrison never purged the Krishna group from his system. He ended his life amidst friends chanting “Hare Krishna,” the refrain that epitomizes the group’s devotees. Harrison also left a large part of his estate to the “cult,” including a mansion in England.

A Krishna spokesperson said, “We are eternally grateful for all George has done for us. His generosity allowed the Krishna movement to take root in Britain.” Some observers might credit the former Beatle as the single person most responsible for the spread of the movement worldwide.

George Harrison said, ”To have someone sit at your table with your family every night and then betray your trust is one of the worst experiences imaginable.” Again, he was referring to the focus of his song “Brainwashed.”

But Harrison seemed to have little understanding or public sympathy for the many children whose trust was betrayed by their Krishna teachers and caregivers in its schools and communes. Certainly, the ex-Beatle knew of such abuse, which was eventually acknowledged publicly by ISKCON’s leaders before his death. However, he didn’t sing or even speak out about this betrayal of trust and continued to support the organization.

Harrison summarized his song “Brainwashed” as one way he could “respond to the outside world” and “exorcise its demons.” Perhaps the former pop star should have done something meaningful to respond to and/or help the children “brainwashed” and caught within the world of ISKCON? Their horrific experiences seemed to reflect the effects of “demons” worthy of an exorcism.