Editing Science of Identity Foundation (section)

==Theology==
The organization combines the teaching of [[yoga]] with aspects of [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism|Gaudiya Vaishnava]] theology.<ref name=":0" /> The followers should practice [[vegetarianism]] and refrain from [[gambling]], smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs or having "illicit sex".<ref name="butler1982" /> While theological basis of [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]] comes primarily from the ancient Indian texts, ''[[Bhagavad Gita]]'' and ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'',<ref name="Jiva-Goswami">{{Cite book |last=Dasa |first=Satyanarayana |title=Krishna : a sourcebook |date=2007 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-972431-4 |editor-last=Bryant |editor-first=Edwin |location=Oxford |chapter= 16: The Six Sandarbhas of Jiva Gosvami |oclc=181731713}}</ref> Butler deemphasized the Indian texts, and in 1984 published "Who Are You? Discovering Your Real Identity", which used some examples from science to argue against materialism and asert eternal nature of the self.<ref name="Sanneh" />

Butler's teachings included condemnation of [[homosexuality]],{{refn|name=bigot|<ref name=WiHo25/><ref name=Go25/><ref name="Sanneh" /><ref name=":2" />}} suspicion of [[Islam]],<ref name=WiHo25/> [[Islamophobia]],<ref name=":1"/> and skepticism of science.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Hurley |first=Bevan |date=October 16, 2022 |title=Tulsi Gabbard's ties to secretive cult may explain her perplexing political journey |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/tulsi-gabbard-cult-putin-democrat-science-of-identity-b2058196.html |access-date=May 9, 2023 |work=[[The Independent]] |language=en}}</ref> In the 1980s, Butler opposed [[Bisexuality|bisexual]] relations, asserting that these would lead to [[pedophilia]] and [[bestiality]].<ref name="Sanneh" />

Multiple ex-members of SIF have described it as a cult; Butler's status has been characterized as "akin to a god" and not willing to be questioned.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wiseman |first=Oliver |date=October 29, 2019 |title=Whose side is Tulsi Gabbard on? |url=https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/november-2019/whose-side-is-tulsi-gabbard-on/ |access-date=October 1, 2024 |website=[[The Critic (modern magazine)|The Critic]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> They say Butler regularly mocked his devotees, publicly, calling it "a form of [[Krishna]]'s mercy".<ref name=":3" /> Butler denies these allegations;<ref name="Sanneh" /><ref name=":2" /> and he threatened to sue the ''[[Honolulu Star-Advertiser]]'' when it planned to publish accounts of ex-followers in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cocke |first=Sophie |date=January 27, 2019 |title=Chris Butler and Science of Identity Foundation criticize media, decline interviews |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2019/01/27/hawaii-news/butler-and-his-organization-criticize-the-press-decline-interviews/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=October 1, 2024 |work=[[Honolulu Star-Advertiser]] |language=en}}</ref>