For example, the animal killing. The Western people mostly call themselves Christians. Now, Lord Jesus Christ said, Thou shall not kill. But the result, after the passage of two thousand years, is that the people of the Western countries are still killing. So, during all these years, when have they actually accepted Christianity? What is your answer? His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada"Since When Have You Westerners Accepted the Teachings of Christ?"
This exchange between His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and Carol Cameron, then a master's candidate in anthrophology, took place in Perth, Australia, on May 9, 1975.
For example, the animal killing. The Western people mostly call themselves Christians. Now, Lord Jesus Christ said, "Thou shall not kill." But the result, after the passage of two thousand years, is that the people of the Western countries are still killing. So, during all these years, when have they actually accepted Christianity? What is your answer?
Srila Prabhupada: Just consider. The Ten Commandments and then Lord Jesus Christ and his disciples had to tell these people, "Thou shall not kill." So, first of all, what kind of men were they--that Lord Christ had to request them not to kill? That means they were killers.
Suppose somebody's a thief and I give him some good instruction. I say, "You should not commit theft." Of course, that instruction means that as of now, you are a thief. As of now, you are a thief. Otherwise, why should I say, "Thou shalt not commit theft"?
A naughty child is disturbing everyone. So I am forced to say, "My dear child, please don't disturb everyone." Similarly, when Christ said, "Thou shall not kill," that means he was speaking amongst people who were in the habit of killing. Is it not?
So the killing business is going on regularly. Not just in big wars but also in your regular, daily life. You are maintaining big, big slaughterhouses. So, again, since when have you Westerners actually accepted the instructions of Christ? That I want to know. What is that date?
Lord Jesus Christ was killed. Is it not?
Two thousand years have passed, but to date you have not been able to not accept the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ. And you are all claiming that you are Christian. But since when did you accept Christianity? That is my question. Because as far as I can see, you have disobeyed the order of Christ. So, now that two thousand years have passed, when did you accept? Hmm? Who will answer this question?
Srila Prabhupada: You Westerners have no love, because you are accustomed to kill. Philosophy begins when you know that everyone is part and parcel of God, and everyone should be given the full facilities to live, without danger of being injured for anyone else's personal benefit. Panditah sama‑darsinah: A pandita, a true philosopher or learned scholar, sees every living being equally--as a spirit soul, part and parcel of God. So fools and rascals can become philosophers. Those who are learned scholars--thoughtful--they can become philosophers. But if one has no knowledge how to behave with other living entities, what is the meaning of his becoming a philosopher?
mauna-vrata-sruta-tapo-'dhyayana-sva-dharma- So Prahlada Maharaja, indirectly he is declining all these ten processes for liberation. Those who are actually interested in liberation, for them to control the senses these ten kinds of processes are recommended. The first thing is mauna, to remain silent. You'll find in India there are many saintly persons who do not speak, silent. So Prahlada Maharaja says it is for the ajitendriyanam. This process, mauna, to remain silent, is meant for persons who cannot control the senses. It is better not to talk than to talk foolish. In English also it is said like that, that "Better stop talking than talking foolish." So in the material world actually all the talks that we indulge in, they're all foolish talks. They have been described in the sastra as croaking of the toads. "Kakaka, kakaka, kakaka." What is the meaning? We have got the tongue to talk. We can engage the tongue for talking about Krishna. But those who cannot talk about Krsna but talks all nonsense, better stop them talkng. That is called mauna. Mauna means "You cannot talk nicely; better you stop talking." So that is a kind of vrata, vow. But our process is different: sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. We do not stop talking, but we talk for preaching Krsna consciousness. That is wanted. So there are many, you'll find, they take credit by not talking. Sometimes you go to them and ask some question, they'll write in pencil on the paper, "We will not talk." And what is the meaning of his silence? If you... If I put some questions and you write in paper, what is the difference between talking and writing? I am using the senses. For talking I am using the senses, tongue. Instead of using the sense, tongue, active senses, I am using my hand. So this is also sense gratification. The real fact is that you cannot stop the tongue working. Engage the tongue in Krsna consciousness. That is wanted. Don't talk material subject matters. In big, big meetings the politicians, the United Nation, they talking--but talking all nonsense, simply going there for passing resolution that "Now we have to do this. Then the world will change." No, it will never change. By such kind of foolish talking, it will never change. Better close this United Nation organization because it has not given any practical effect. But talking about Krsna, just see how it is giving practical effect. Here you are assembled here from Europe, America, and Africa, Canada, and practically all over the world, but you are united nation. You are united nation simply by talking Krsna. This is the remedy. And if you keep yourself as American, as Indian, as Canadian, as African, and go to the United Nation and talk for years and years, there will be no more United Nation. It will be... More flags will increase because this is nonsense talking. It is practical. The United Nation is talking for the last thirty, forty years? Pusta Krsna: Thirty years. Prabhupada: Thirty years. And where is unity of the nation? It is not possible. And here we are talking about Krsna, say, for seven, eight years. Just see the sample, how these young men are becoming united in Krsna consciousness. This is practical. more... | ||||
Westerners seem to forget the reality regarding Israel and its occupation of Palestine…. 
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami PrabhupadaThis Vedic knowledge was stated in the Atharva-veda. Later on, just at the beginning of this millennium, the Kali-yuga, Vyasadeva, who is the supreme authority on Vedic knowledge, considering the degraded condition of men in this age, divided the whole Veda into departmental knowledge, and some of his disciples were entrusted with the particular departments. In this way the entire Vedic knowledge was developed into four Vedas, then 108 Upanisads, 18 Puranas, and then summarized in Vedanta-sutra. And then again, to benefit the less intelligent class of men like women, workers, and the degraded descendants of the higher class, Vyasadeva made a fifth Veda, known as Mahabharata, or the great history of India.
The original Bharata and modern India are not the same. The original Bharata means the whole planet earth. Having been gradually divided, the modern India is only a fractional part of the original Bharata. So the knowledge is distributed in so many departments of Vedic knowledge, but the whole process aims at God realization. more...
Better close the United Nation organization because it has not had any practical effect. But talking about Krishna, just see how it is giving practical effect. You are assembled here from Europe, America, and Africa, Canada, and practically all over the world, but you are united nation. You are united nation simply by talking about Krishna.
