Two thousand years ago the first Christian Ritviks, Jesus’ apostles, were arrested and hauled off to court, where they were placed on trial for their lives. One of the judges of that august body, a Pharisee, pleaded for their lives like this:
“And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”
(Acts 5:38 New King James Bible)
- from George Smith
Editor's Christmas Ramblings; - Apparently, they were of God !
Congratulations to this relatively new Kali-yuga cult for lasting so long ! We Vaisnavas have been around for a few millions of years, so come and see us if there's anything we can do to help you all out when things get tough !
Admittedly, there are nowadays almost as many Christians as "Hindus", a term you guys, and the Islamists, invented for "us" ! Now in this body, i am identifying with Vedic culture. We modern Caitanyaite Vaisnavas, like Christian idealists, are not caste conscious. We also seek to deliver the most fallen and the suffering ones. I think this sort of open-mindedness to other cultures is essential to success in spreading widely throughout human society. No one wants to be subsumed as a low-caste group in another's hierarchical beurocratic system of religion; hmmm.
Come to think of it, over time as the cult establishes itself in a given culture, it then usually seeks to acquire the local cultural symbols and recognition of influence and position. Many impressed and acquisitive sycophants to the now big rich churches arise, among the pious clergy, and they enable themselves somehow or other to become the new entrenched upper oppressive class, and again put down the peasants in a renewal of the cyle of dharma, artha, kama, moksa. Always, control of the money is key to ambition, always the greedy viscious ones rise to the top.
Renunciation is therefore key to our remaining unaffected by the modes of material nature. Where the objects of sense gratification are, the desirous will migrate and engage in schemes to control and monopolize their desired situation. Thus, we go from pure renounced preachers, to self-satisfying priests in a hierarchical Church. Then again there is some reform, or there is an ongoing motif in which both the renounced and the fat cat priests are accomodated. Sounds like India to me! In Goonda boys Iskcon, the demons are often so demonic, they cannot realize a compromise with the renunciants, and so they fight instead, demanding God-like status and obediences.
The Christians, by having only Jesus, can avoid this attempt to be God by mere humans at least, while we Vaisnavas are more susceptible to this particular manipulation, as we see practically. We honor even our simple brahmanas very nicely. However, the ritvik neophytes and devotees who strictly follow Srila Prabhupada are also relieved of some of these cheating effects. Hare Krsna
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