Interview with Jack Ashcraft on Expedition Truth Radio

Rev. Jack Davila-Ashcraft

Rev. Jack Davila-Ashcraft, host of Expedition Truth Radio

April 2, 2020: Henry discussed his books Killing For Krishna and Eleven Naked Emperors with Rev. Jack Davila-Ashcraft on Expedition Truth, a weekly Internet radio show broadcast by KCOR Digital Radio Network dedicated to answering the questions of sincere spiritual seekers, as well as the promotion of deeper thought in the areas of Christian apologetics, theology, and philosophy. Topics discussed during Henry’s interview included: the origin of the Hare Krishna movement, the counterculture and Prabhupada’s first disciples, the concept of “guruship,” the problem of disciples worshiping, serving and giving their lives to pretender gurus, and the resistance of one guru who didn’t want to sit on the elevated throne and accept opulent worship, but was forced by the other ten gurus.

Other topics included the conspiracy to assassinate the dissident devotee and New Vrindaban resident Steven Bryant (Sulochan dasa) by high-ranking leaders from the New Vrindaban West Virginia Hare Krishna community and the Los Angeles ISKCON guru and his disciples. Radhanath Swami’s involvement in the murder plot was discussed. Henry also spoke about “Scam-Kirtan,” the fraudlent fundraising tactics used by members of the New Vrindaban community, the specific events which led him to join the Hare Krishna movement in 1978, and some of the homosexual pedophilia he discovered years later which led him to reject his “spiritual master” and leave the Hare Krishna movement. Henry also spoke about his departure from New Vrindaban, his acquisition of the Swami Bhaktipada Archive, discovering the immoral and criminal activities which occured at New Vrindaban, his regret in supporting for fifteen years what he later found out was a criminal enterprise, and the reason he thinks he might have spent those years at New Vrindaban: to later have the insight to research and write books which help other devotees and former devotees to heal the trauma in their hearts which they experienced in ISKCON.

During the two-hour broadcast, several listeners called in to ask questions and make comments (by telephone or chat), including Wade Ryan (Damodar dasa), Tim Lee (Puranjan), who specifically spoke about the poisoning of Shrila Prabhupada, Joseph Pollock, Jr. (Jyotirdhama dasa) and Mark Goodwin (Kailasa-Chandra), who spoke about his association with Sulochan, his editing of Sulochan’s book, The Guru Business, and the danger of the api-sampradaya cult called “ISKCON.”

To listen to the interview, Click Here.


Comments from radio listeners who called in by phone or by chat

“Henry’s books [Killing For Krishna and Eleven Naked Emperors] have been real agents of healing for me. He’s taken the mystery, the confusion, he’s taken the truth and laid it out on the table. It’s much more palatable when you know the real truth that went on. I thank him for that and I recommend to every devotee and former devotee: read these books.

“We were told a lot of things [by our ISKCON authorities] (laughter). Some of them were not the same story; we were told a lot of things, and we had no way of really knowing [what was fact and what was fiction]. There was a book [Monkey on a Stick] that came out [in 1988] after Sulochan [Steven Bryant] was murdered in Los Angeles, but it was really a pulp fiction book, so it wasn’t helpful. Henry, [on the other hand], has written books that provide solid information with an overwhelming number of notes and quotations to back up what he’s saying. I believe he is definitely working on the right side.”—Wade Ryan (Damodar dasa, initiated 1967 in San Francisco), by phone call

“I lived through what is in these [Henry’s] books, and they are truthful.”—Joseph Pollock, Jr. (Jyotirdhama dasa), by chat room.

“I know Henry well, I really admire what he’s doing, and I agree he has really helped a lot of people straighten out the history. There’s an acharya, he’s a guru in our line, his name is Madhva, and he says, ‘Anyone who understands history correctly is eligible for liberation.’ We needed to sort out the history.”—Tim Lee (Purajana dasa), by phone call

“I’m very appreciative of the therapeutic element that he [Henry] wants to connect with others and help them understand the history [of ISKCON].”—Mark Goodwin (Kailasa-Chandra dasa), by phone call


In addition, KCOR Digital Radio Network noted, “Author Henry Doktorski talks about his book[s], Killing for Krishna: The Danger of Deranged Devotion [and Eleven Naked Emperors]. Let me just say this is one of the best shows you’ll listen to this year.”


About Rev. Jack Davila-Ashcraft

Rev. J. Davila-Ashcraft holds a B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from God’s Bible College in Cincinnati, Ohio, which boasts such notables as Oswald Chambers and Martin Wells Knapp, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Apologetics. He served as a missionary in Chihuahua, Mexico, and as Associate Pastor of Good Shepherd Mission in Kentucky. He is the author of The Messianic Secret, an examination and refutation of the many myths regarding the so-called “lost years” of Jesus, defending the historical trustworthiness of the four Gospels of the New Testament, and has been a contributor to Barbwire.com (a Christian news and opinion site), and has been both a host and guest on major radio and television programs, discussing such issues as current events, biblical theology, demonology, exorcism, spiritual warfare and the paranormal from a decidedly Christian point of view.

In that capacity he has appeared on The Travel Channel, consulted on programming for National Geographic Channel and CNN, and been a featured guest on such radio programs as Art Bell, The Josh Tolley Show, Erskine Overnight, Derek Gilbert’s “A View From The Bunker,” Fade To Black, Beyond Reality, and more.

He is a member of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, an Anglican priest and Traditionalist, as well as Superior of the Society of St. Anselm. He is married to his wife of 20 years. He is the host of EXPEDITION TRUTH, a radio talk show exploring a wide variety of topics in philosophy, theology, history, culture, and the supernatural. He has taught on cults, the theology and methodology of spiritual warfare, and exorcism for pastors, and lectured in the subject of exorcism at the college level, conferences, and churches.

Jack is an experienced and engaging speaker, and is available to speak at your church, conference, or as a guest on radio and television. His presentations are exciting and informative, covering all aspects of Spiritual Warfare, as well as Apologetics issues from the Arguments for the Existence of God, to the so-called “Lost Years” of Jesus, and other frequently asked questions on UFOs, Angels, Cults, and the Occult. His presentations are always focused on the truths and absolute reliability of the Bible in all matters. He is willing to travel for speaking engagements, conferences, churches, etc. His goal is to deliver as much content as possible in the time given, without sacrificing clarity or time for one on one interaction with participants who may have questions.

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